USA - Dominant Griner moving closer to London

COLLEGE STATION (Olympics) - Here is a tantalizing prospect for those looking ahead to the London Olympics.

There is a very good chance, when a medal will be at stake, that Brittney Griner will be on the floor for the United States at the same time as Liz Cambage of Australia.

The 2.03m Cambage, who was 19 at the time, lived up to the hype and made a sizable impact at the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women for the Opals, averaging 17.7 points over her last four games.

In the first of that four-game stretch, she had 18 points, seven rebounds and four blocks against the Americans, who were being coached by Geno Auriemma for the first time in tournament play.

Griner, who is almost a year older than Cambage and is the most dominant player in American college basketball at Baylor in Texas, is among the 21 finalists for the USA Olympic squad.

Every game she plays for the Lady Bears improves her chances of making it to London.

On Monday night, she got into foul trouble but still finished with 25 points in 29 minutes against Texas A&M and led the unbeaten Lady Bears to their 30th victory of the campaign.

Though only a junior, Griner may pass up her final year of eligibility and turn professional.

Judging from Auriemma's comments about the 2.03m Griner on February 13 when USA Basketball announced the list of finalists, she seems a lock for the Olympic team.

"Brittney Griner is young, but in some ways her game is a little bit older than she is," said Auriemma, who is the long-time and very successful coach of the University of Connecticut.

"The thing that's going to be a major issue is the lack of international experience that Brittney has. 

"So that's going to take some getting used to, but she brings an element to any team that is impossible to find. 

"You don't just get players that are game-changers like that. I don't think anybody else in the world has anybody like Brittney Griner."

A potential showdown with Cambage and Australia is tantalizing, indeed.

FIBA