I am referring to the USA basketball team, which should be scared of a possible quarter-final encounter with Spain's team (the ÑBA)—Gasol, Rudy, S. Rodríguez, Navarro, Abrines...—at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
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| The image represents the USA being corralled by Spain |
Spain's position at Rio 2016
Spain isn't having a good tournament right now, but it isn't having a bad one either. It has only lost two matches, both by minimal point margins. Nevertheless, Spain can qualify for the quarter-finals in fourth position in its group, which also comprises Croatia, Lithuania, Brazil, Argentina and Nigeria.
Scariolo's teams and USA confidence
As is known, Sergio Scariolo's teams usually start badly and then become better and better. Spain is prepared to be in shape at the right moment, that is, in the quarter-finals.
Moreover, I have realized that some USA players seem very confident right now. For example, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving or Carmelo Anthony. Excessive confidence could ultimately prove costly.
For another look at Spanish basketball in 2016, read my post about Real Madrid's Copa del Rey title. For the training side of reaching good physical form, see my review of Complete Conditioning for Basketball.
October 2026 update: what happened at Rio 2016
The original article was written on 11 August 2016, while the Olympic tournament was still in progress. This October 2026 update records how the competition subsequently developed.
USA finished first in Group A with five wins and no defeats. Spain finished second in Group B with three wins and two defeats. All four qualifiers from Group B had the same 3–2 record, with their order decided by the tie-break criteria.
| Position | Group A | Group B |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | USA | Croatia |
| 2nd | Australia | Spain |
| 3rd | France | Lithuania |
| 4th | Serbia | Argentina |
| Team | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| USA | 105–78 | Argentina |
| Spain | 92–67 | France |
| Australia | 90–64 | Lithuania |
| Serbia | 86–83 | Croatia |
Semi-finals
- USA defeated Spain 82–76.
- Serbia defeated Australia 87–61.
In the final, USA defeated Serbia 96–66. Spain secured the bronze medal with an 89–88 victory over Australia.
| Place | Team | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | USA | Gold |
| 2nd | Serbia | Silver |
| 3rd | Spain | Bronze |
| 4th | Australia | Fourth place |
The original article considered the possibility of Spain finishing fourth in Group B and facing USA in the quarter-finals. Spain ultimately finished second and faced USA one round later, in the semi-finals.
A final challenge
Can you score from half court?
Start the attempt, then press Shoot when the moving marker reaches the green zone. You can also use Enter or Space on the button.
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De genio a geni@, ¿Qué me cuentas?
From genius to genius, what do you tell me?