Posted on: Sunday, August 15, 2004

U.S. roars past New Zealand in basketball

Advertiser Staff and News Services

The premier player on the New Zealand Olympic women's basketball team played collegiately for East Central University in Oklahoma. And Tania (Brunton) Tupu was an integral part of Hawai'i's 1996 NCAA Tournament team.

That sums up what New Zealand's chances were yesterday going against the United States and its horde of former collegiate All-Americans and current WNBA stars in Athens, Greece.

Even scoring the game's first seven points was of no lasting value to New Zealand, which ultimately fell, 99-47, as the Summer Games began with pool play at the seaside Helliniko Indoor Arena.

The U.S., winner of the last two Olympic gold medals, demonstrated its immense depth and versatility against the overmatched Kiwis. Five Americans scored in double figures — Swin Cash (19), Sheryl Swoopes (14), Lisa Leslie (13), Diana Taurasi (12) and Tina Thompson (11).

Gina Farmer, New Zealand's Oklahoma-groomed player and its leading scorer in the 2000 Games, had five points. Tupu finished with four.

A 23-4 U.S. run quickly erased New Zealand's 7-0 advantage. It featured a pair of 3-pointers by Taurasi. At 22, she is the team's youngest player and recently closed a Connecticut career that included three NCAA titles and two national player of the year awards.

It was 63-24 at halftime and the Americans led by as many as 55, leaving New Zealand to search for any consolation.

"I felt the margin could have gone up to 80," said New Zealand coach Tom Maher, who coached Australia to the silver medal in 2000. "So I'm grateful that my players were able to cut it to 40."

It was the fourth-largest margin of victory at the Games for the U.S., which upped its Olympic winning streak to 18.

Also yesterday, Nigeria — coached by former NBA guard Sam Vincent —fell to Australia, 85-73, in its first Olympic game. The top four teams from each pool advance.