Fans of the women’s basketball team will have a heart attack at these Olympic Games. The team coached by Miguel Méndez beat China, the world runner-up, by a single point in the first round of the group stage (90-89), in overtime and after forcing extra time with a huge three-pointer by Leonor Rodríguez. This Wednesday, nobody anticipated such a level of tension and tachycardia when at the start of the match against Puerto Rico the Spanish team was leading by 15 points: 9-24. But this group seems to be used to strong, very strong emotions, so the American team came back in the second half, even going ahead on the scoreboard by up to four points and only two free throws converted by Laura Gil with 1.9 seconds left allowed another epic victory. Puerto Rico had one last possession to win, but missed the shot and Spain added a second victory that ensures its passage to the quarterfinals, which will move from Lille to Paris. The national team will play its last match of the group stage against Serbia on Saturday (13.30) in search of first place and a theoretically easier tie.
Injuries to Raquel Carrera during the season and to captain Silvia Domínguez in the preparation phase have put Spain on the back foot. But the group has rebelled against the other groups in search of new leaders. Gustafson shone against Puerto Rico with 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Leo Rodríguez soared to 17 points. The contribution of both was crucial in a back-and-forth match, in a two-faced Spain.
Gustafson claimed the first ball in attack, faced the basket and caused a foul that gave Spain the first lead of the match. The American center, who became a Spanish citizen before the Games and who beat Astou Ndour to the Olympics, began to appear everywhere: she blocked Trinity San Antonio, scored from distance, scored a rebound… Everything went through her. Gustafson ruled under the basket and allowed the team to move comfortably. Then Leo Rodríguez appeared with seven points in the blink of an eye to close the first lead: 4-13. Spain tightened up on defense and the pieces alternated positions without the ball. The Puerto Rican women could not find any gaps and the difference increased (9-24). Only the physical toughness of the American team and the Spanish losses tightened the match, until two three-pointers by María Araújo blew up the rival zone. Spain reached the break in command: 25-39.
Gustafson, doing his thing. He does everything, and almost everything well. Inside and outside. In the fight under the basket and in the outside shot. Puerto Rico, also doing its thing, increasing the decibels in the physical discharge. Spain began to suffer from these pressures, the losses continued and several mistakes in defense allowed the rivals to get fully into the game, launched by the wrist of Rosado and the power of Hollingshed. The team barely tried a triple by Gustafson in more than five minutes, until he scored again under the basket. They were the only five Spanish points in that third quarter (19-5), the Spanish smothered by the Puerto Rican defense.
It was a new beginning. Puerto Rico was not going to change its plan, supported by Hollingshed inside and Rosado outside, but Spain wanted to be Spain again, that group that worked hard to defend its basket. When it recovered its DNA, Méndez’s team was able to accept the confrontation with which the match was resolved. It was a constant exchange of baskets. Puerto Rico went ahead by one point with 9.9 seconds left, but then Laura Gil appeared to fight for a rebound, save two free throws with 1.9 seconds left and, with her only baskets of the morning, give Spain the victory. Another one on the verge of a heart attack, and who sends the team to the quarterfinals in Paris.
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