The Back Channel: Live on FIBATV.com Today!

I hate to brag, but I believe I had Serbia surviving their Quarter Final against Spain, and I’m pretty sure Milos Teodosic was my key player.

While the first of those two predictions looked likely to come true from the start of the game Teodosic very easily could have been little more than a footnote had he not buried a three-pointer from well behind the line that proved to be the difference.

Prior to hitting his game-winner Milos was one of seven from behind the three-point line with nine points. What makes him so special is that he’s the kind of player who can be having a horrible game but when it’s crunch time you put the rock in his hand and he delivers. We saw that again last night, and Nenad Krstic admitted as much after the game when he visited with FIBATV.com.

But enough looking back, let’s take a peek at Thursday’s action.

USA vs. Russia – 15.00 GMT – Live on FIBATV.com

You may think that with the cold war long over, little of the old animosity exists between these two giant nations.

You would be wrong, at least where the coaches are concerned.

It was interesting to hear USA Coach Mike Krzyzewski and Russia Coach David Blatt arguing about the 1972 Olympic gold medal game between the U.S. and the then U.S.S.R.

You heard right, 1972. That’s almost 40 years ago.

On the court (in 2010) the Russians appear to be over-matched, but this is a Team USA squad that’s far from unbeatable.

If you can keep them from fast breaking you into oblivion, and force them to execute in the half-court they are well within the reach of a team like Russia.

The question is if the Russians can or even want to play that way.

Much like Team USA, their best players are big and athletic, but if they try to match up with the Americans in that regard it could be a long night.

Blatt, in a visit with FIBATV.com, had plenty of nice things to say about his team while managing to downplay the idea that they could actually win on Wednesday.

I think part of Blatt’s assessment is right on. The Russians shouldn’t beat the Americans, but you never know.

Lithuania vs. Argentina – 18.00 GMT – Live on FIBATV.com

Luis Scola has been without question the most inspiring and impressive player at this tournament.

He’s scored 30 or more points in five of his six games and saved his best performance for his team’s Eighth Final clash with Brazil when he dropped in 37 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

On the other side we have Linas Kleiza who also appears to be getting better as the tournament goes on, dropping 30 on China in their Eighth Final.

One inch (Scola is 6’9”, Kleiza 6’8”) and two pounds (Scola 247, Kleiza 245) separate these two superstars and on their shoulders rest the hopes and dreams of their nations.

It’s hard to think of two teams who rely more heavily on their stars, which means the team that wins might be the one that gets an unexpected performance from a lesser-known player.

I don’t know if you can call Carlos Delfino ‘lesser-known’, but if it weren’t for his playing on the same team as Scola he would be getting much more publicity.

On Thursday night he may prove to be the difference-maker for the boys from South America.