PARIS (France) - The hype machine for the Olympic basketball tournaments in 2024 was in overdrive months before the start of the event.
The games surpassed the hype.
One year later and here are the top 10 moments listed out by our very own Jeff Taylor, a FIBA commentator for almost 30 years.
10 - South Sudan arrives
There was something incredible about having the young nation of South Sudan at the Opening Ceremony and then on the court in Lille. When the Bright Stars walked to the center of the court for the jump ball and stood alongside the latest version of the USA Dream Team, this showed just how far this national team has come in a very short period of time. They now compete against the best.
9 - The Belgium survival act
It was hard to comprehend how the high-powered FIBA Women's EuroBasket winning Belgium Cats could be thrashed by Germany, 83-69, on opening day. Yet equally remarkable was Belgium's recovery and progression to the Quarter-Finals. Needing to beat Japan by 27 or more points to advance in their last game of the Group Phase, Emma Messemman and Co opened up a 31-point advantage and ultimately won, 85-58. Messemman had 30 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 blocks, 1 steal and a +40 efficiency!
8 - Strazel's 4-point play
Matthew Strazel is unlikely to hit a bigger shot in his career with France than the three-pointer he drilled in the closing moments of the game against Japan because on the play, he was fouled by Yuki Kawamura. Strazel sank the free-throw for the 4-point play and France forced overtime and won, 94-90.
7 - Nigeria's shock win over the Opals
D'Tigress had won several FIBA Women's AfroBaskets in a row (and recently won another won this August) yet no one could have expected them to deliver a 75-62 beatdown of traditional heavyweight Australia to get their first Olympic win in 20 years! One of Nigeria's AfroBasket MVPs, Ezinne Kalu, took no prisoners in that game, scoring 19 points while playing her trademark ferocious defense and coming up with 3 steals.
6 - Franz Wagner's slam
In the blink of an eye, Franz Wagner exploded past Nic Batum of France near midcourt in their Group Phase battle, got into the lane with three dribbles and took off! He soared over Isaia Cordinier and Mathias Lessort, putting both on a poster, before hammering home one of the biggest Olympic dunk since Vince Carter's masterclass against Les Bleus at the 2000 Games in Sydney.
5 - Joker rescues Serbia in Quarter-Finals against Boomers
Australia had a dream start, storming into a 24-point lead early in the second quarter against a team that has finished runners up at the 2023 World Cup. There was just one problem for the team from Down Under, and it was that Serbia had Nikola Jokic, one of the greatest players in the history of the game. The man, as the saying goes, showed he is built different. He brought Serbia back and finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists and 4 steals and Serbia, despite Patty Mills' game-tying shot at the end of regulation, won 95-90.
4 - The Opals' power of recovery
Australia looked like a team that was going nowhere fast in their opening game meltdown against Nigeria yet playing with pride and self-belief, the Opals went on an Olympic run that got them to the podium. Despite a Semi-Final setback to USA, Australia got a monster 30-point, 13-rebound and 3-block performance from Ezi Magbegor in a 85-81 win over Belgium to win the Bronze Medal Game.
3 - Curry, USA refuse to lose against Serbia
Despite trailing by 17 points against a Serbia team that was making big play after big play, and despite still being behind by 13 at the end of the third quarter, the USA claimed a famous 95-91 win in their Semi-Final. The Americans didn't take the lead for good until 2:24 remained, when Stephen Curry connected from deep for his ninth 3-pointer of the game.
2 -Gabby's foot over the line agony
Basketball, like most sports, is a game of inches. In a pulsating Final against France, the USA made their free-throws down the stretch yet Gabby Williams almost forced overtime. After making a 3-pointer to close the gap to just 1 point, Williams fouled Kahleah Copper with 3.8 seconds and she buried both free-throws for a 67-64 lead. France raced the ball up the floor, with Marine Johannes' pass finding Williams at the top of the key. Williams shot over Breanna Stewart and banked it in, but her foot was over the 3-point line to deny the game-tying trey that would have forced overtime.
1 - Steph's Golden Dagger puts fabulous final to bed
In a Gold Medal Game that had a little bit of everything, including Guerschon Yabusele's magnificent dunk on LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama's 26-point explosion for France, Curry amazed the most. His eighth and final 3-pointer in the Gold Medal Game against France sealed the title. The shot was so significant that Curry ranks it No. 1 above all the others that he has drilled in his famous career.
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