Team USA progressed to the Tokyo 2020 Men’s Basketball gold medal game after beating a brave Australia in their match-up on Thursday. It was heartbreaking for the Boomers as they lost their fifth Olympic semi-final in five decades. Australians will now have to regroup for a bronze medal clash on Saturday, as they continue their quest for the country’s first international medal in men’s basketball.
Now the Americans face France, who beat them in the team’s opening game, To sleep. The French beat Slovenia 90–89 in a thrilling semi-final that went on until the final game.
As far back as 1964, Australia and the US have met eight times in Olympic competition. The closest the Boomers came to defeating the Americans were two 10-point losses in 2004 and 2016. Friendly 2019 and a win for Australia in the pre-Tokyo 2020 practice game last month offered some hope – as did a positive first-half performance. But ultimately the Americans’ star power was too much for the Patty Mills-led Boomers, losing 97–78.
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