VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision)  - Your team is clinging to a lead or is tied. How does a coach set his defense to prevent that one last basket and preserve the win, or get to overtime?

Different opponents provide different challenges and different coaches like different strategies.

Sometimes there's nothing a defense can do to stop the sheer brilliance of a player from deciding the outcome of a game.

We saw Slovenia's Luka Doncic lift the Dallas Mavericks to a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on August 23 while on Thursday, London-born OG Onunoby's game-winning three at the death lifted the Toronto Raptors past Boston.

International basketball has had its share of late clutch bombs, and often, the shots should not have even been taken. 

Coulda, shoulda, woulda - Finns didn't foul, Turkey's Cenk Akyol made 'em pay

In the Group Phase of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 in Bilbao, Finland, roared on by their 10,000 traveling fans, led Turkey by three points as the final seconds ticked off the clock (Go to 1:10 on the video). They could have fouled to prevent a game-tying three-ball. They should have fouled. Instead, Cenk Akyol launched a game-tying three-pointer and Turkey won in overtime.

Late-arriving Dumerc allows Alben to bury go-ahead three

This is an example where players simply must get back on defense, and what happens when they do not. France led Turkey, 48-47, at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2014 in Ankara and their veteran point guard Celine Dumerc cost them three points (Go to 1:45.24 on the video). With France looking to extend their lead, Dumerc drives, leaves her feet, collides with Nevriye Yilmaz of Turkey and goes down. Instead of bouncing up and hustling back on defense, she appeals for a foul. Seconds later, Alben, the Turkish playmaker, sets her feet in the right corner and makes a wide-open three with 47 seconds to play for the final points of the game and a 50-48 win. 

Tunisia's El Mabrouk connects for overtime winner in 2015

In a packed Stade Olympique de Radès, hosts Tunisia edged Morocco, 69-68, when Mourad El Mabrouk found space to launch a game-winner (Go to 1:26 on the video). Morocco point guard Mustapha Khalfi left El Mabrouk, a marksman, to help defend Michael Roll. That left Roll with the easiest of passes to a wide-open El Mabrouk, who made the game-winner. 

Diamantidis dagger puts Greece in EuroBasket 2005 Final

On their run to the FIBA EuroBasket 2005 title, the Greeks capped an improbable last-minute comeback in their Semi-Final against France with a game-winning three-pointer from Dimitris Diamantidis. Greece prevailed, 67-66, and it's one reason why today, Diamantidis is a legend. The French only had themselves to blame because with 47 seconds left, they led 62-55. What killed them wasn't the defense on the last play but missed free-throws which led to the blown advantage.

It's all over as Hanusova makes it at the buzzer

Belarus fell to the Czech Republic in the Second Round of the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2015 when Alena Hanusova drilling a game-winning three. Here's where Belarus went wrong. Center Yelena Leuchanka has to know that Hanusova is a good shooter. She makes a mistake by dropping back too much to help defend Katarina Elhotova, leaving Hanusova open.

Serbia's Teodosic knocks out Spain at 2010 World Cup

In a FIBA Basketball World Cup Quarter-Final 2010 thriller against defending champions Spain, the virtuoso from Valjevo, Milos Teodosic, nailed a three-ball with just 3.7 seconds remaining for a 92-89 victory. Spain might have fouled, even if it meant giving Serbia go-ahead free-throws, so they could have had the last shot, but really, you have to believe in your defense and Sergio Scariolo did. In this instance, just tip your hat to Teodosic, who trusted his three-point stroke after making just one of his previous seven attempts.

Nowitzki bomb, closely guarded, forces second OT v Angola at 2006 WC

Dirk Nowitzki had 47 points in a triple overtime triumph against Angola at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 14 years ago, three of them coming at the buzzer to end the first extra period (Go to 1:25:40 on the video above!). Joaquim Gomes could hardly have played any better defense, but Nowitzki tied the game and Germany then won after three overtimes. Rule No. 1: Never give Nowitzki a chance to make a big play, because he'll make it. Angola should have fouled before he attempted the three.

Greece's Athinaiou lords it in Leicester with game-winner in OT

In the European Qualifiers for last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup, Great Britain led Greece by one and didn't want to give up a layup or a shot near the basket. Sometimes a player just makes the shot, and that's what happened as Greece guard Giannis Athinaiou (Go to 1:35 on the video) drilled an off-balance three!

Jeff Taylor
FIBA

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