THE US OLYMPIC TEAMS TAKE MAJOR LOSSES IN TOKYO
The US team’s road to a fourth consecutive gold medal is in doubt. For the first time since 2004, the US men’s basketball team have lost in the Olympics to France.
Evan Fournier banged a three-pointer with just under a minute left which put France in the lead. France pulled an 83-76 win over the US team in the opening game for both teams.
“They are better individually,” France guard Evan Fournier said. “But they can be beaten as a team.”
It was the first time the US and France played since the quarter-finals of the Basketball World Cup two years ago, a game that the Americans lost. France has seven players on their Olympic roster from that team.
“We haven’t been together that long, but we’ve been together long enough to have that consistency,” Draymond Green said. “We have to defend better down the stretch.”
It wasn’t such a good week for the US in the Olympics. The often dominant women’s US gymnastic team saw Russia take the lead last Sunday. Simone Biles finished first in the all-around, followed by teammate Sunisa Lee. Russia finished the competition nearly a whole point ahead of Team USA.
Biles later withdrew from the Olympics. Biles told the media that her mind and body are no longer in sync, and she didn’t trust herself.
