Another day, four more games across the men’s and women’s Olympic basketball competitions. The men are set to finish the second round of pool play, with Team USA set to take on South Sudan and Nikola Jokic hoping to get Serbia its first win in Paris. On the women’s side, Group A begins its second round. Follow along for a breakdown of all the day’s action from Pierre Mauroy Stadium.
Women’s Group A: Spain 63, Puerto Rico 62
Spain’s women’s team has taken just about the most dramatically improbable path to 2-0.
Against China in its opener, La Rioja trailed by five with less than 30 seconds remaining only to somehow rally and win in overtime. On Wednesday against Puerto Rico, the script was nearly reversed: This time it was Spain blowing a lead, watching a 14-point halftime cushion evaporate over the course of a disastrous third quarter.
SEE MORE: How to watch the U.S. women’s basketball team at the Paris Olympics: TV and stream schedule
Spain scored just five points in the period, and trailed by four with under four minutes to go in the fourth. That set up a barnburner of a finish: Mariona Ortiz hit multiple big shots down the stretch to put the Spanish back in front, only for Puerto Rico’s Mya Hollingshed hit a midrange jumper to give Puerto Rico the lead with 10 seconds left. PR defended the final possession well, but Laura Gil drew a foul under the basket with just 1.9 seconds remaining and knocked down the game-winning free throws.
Former Iowa star Megan Gustafson was once again a force for Spain down low, scoring a game-high 18 points with 13 rebounds. Arella Guirantes led Puerto Rico with 15.
Spain now sits atop Group A and in great position to advance, while for Puerto Rico, it’s the second time in as many games that a first-ever Olympic win has fallen agonizingly out of reach. Both teams will be back in action on Saturday, Aug. 3, with Spain taking on Serbia and Puerto Rico taking on China.
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