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Wednesday, September 20
Bolton-Holifield leads the charge for U.S.
Associated Press
SYDNEY, Australia -- The U.S. women's basketball team almost
cut it a little too close against Russia.
|  | | Nikki McCray, left, and Russia's Irina Routkovskaia tangle for a loose ball in the U.S.'s 88-77 victory.
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Down by as many as eight points, the United States finally went
ahead to stay early in the second half and got three key baskets
from Ruthie Bolton-Holifield en route to an 88-77 victory Wednesday.
Now 3-0 in Sydney, the United States secured a berth in the quarterfinals next week and is just about assured of winning its pool.
The Americans have only New Zealand and Poland left to play and
neither has the talent to match the United States.
But Russia (2-1) does, and that made for a tense game.
"We felt like Russia had a little revenge in mind after we beat
them in the world championships," Sheryl Swoopes said. "They were
doing some talking about how they were going to get us back, so we
knew we had to be ready to play."
Nikki McCray, who had missed a layup moments earlier, made a
3-pointer from the right wing to give the United States a lead it
didn't relinquish, 52-50, with 16:45 left. It was 58-57 when
Bolton-Holifield, who had missed two open 3s that would have cut
into the lead in the first half, got hot.
First she nailed a 3-pointer and Natalie Williams followed with
a basket inside. With 10:56 remaining, the United States led 63-57.
After a Russian free throw, Bolton-Holifield came through again,
first with a 3-pointer and then with a jumper. That put the United
States up 68-58 with 9:30 left. The Americans built the lead to as
many as 12, enough of a cushion to hold on.
The comeback was nothing new for the United States, which
trailed Russia by nine at halftime in the finals of the 1998 world
championships before rallying to win.
"I thought our bench played well for us," McCray said.
"Ruthie Bolton came in and gave us three shots there that to me
opened the game up. We've got to have people coming off the bench
hitting shots and playing defense. That was really a good test for
us."
Lisa Leslie led the United States with 18 points. Yolanda
Griffith, playing her best game of the Olympics, and Sheryl Swoopes
each scored 16 and Griffith grabbed 11 rebounds. Bolton-Holifield
finished with 12 points.
Russia was the last team to beat the United States in the
Olympics, in the 1992 semifinals as the Unified Team. This group
made it a game against the Americans without its best players.
Elena Baranova, who plays in the WNBA, wasn't even on the roster
because she underwent knee surgery. Another key player, Ioulia
Skopa, injured her knee before the team left for Australia and
hasn't played yet. Point guard Irina Soumnikova was lost when she
broke her wrist after being elbowed in Russia's opening game with
Cuba.
Again, it was the U.S. depth that made a difference, as Russia
wore down in the second half. The shots the Russians had been
making in the first half started rolling off the rim. That gave the
Americans a chance and they seized it.
Russia shot 59 percent (16-for-27) in the first half but made
just nine of 24 shots in the second half.
"I feel any team can play with us in the first half," Swoopes
said. "That's where our strength and our depth comes in. We wear
them down in the second half."
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ALSO SEE
U.S.-Russia box score
New Zealand struggling in first Olympic appearance
Depth and defense push U.S. women past Cuba
Russian coach blasts Cuba for rough play
Swoopes, Leslie help U.S. hold off South Korea
Dydek impressive in Olympic debut for Poland
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