The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
U.S. women breeze past France
Charles, Moore lead win for Americans in warmup for Rio.
Tina Charles scored 17 points and Maya Moore added 13 to help the U.S. women’s basketball team beat France 84-62 Wednesday night in an exhibition game in Newark, Del.
The game was a rematch of the 2012 London Olympics gold medal game that the Americans won 86-50. This time the U.S. took a half to get going, which wasn’t a total surprise as the Americans have had little training since getting together for the first time as a full team Saturday in Los Angeles.
They played Monday night against a U.S. select team, winning by four, before flying across the country for this three-game exhibition series. France’s core has been together for months, qualifying for the Olympics in a tournament in June.
The U.S. only led by one at the half, but used a 9-2 spurt to start the third quarter, spearheaded by Charles and Moore. The Americans made it 63-46 after three quarters. France couldn’t get within 15 the rest of the way.
Men’s basketball: Kevin Durant fully planned on putting up the initial shot for the U.S. as he played his first game at Oracle Arena since joining the Warriors. Kyrie Irving promised to get the ball in his hands, too.
Cheered all night by his new fans in Oakland, Calif., Durant knocked down a 3-pointer on the Americans’ first touch and slammed home a dunk the next time down the floor.
Then, another one-handed jam just a few minutes after that. He scored the first 10 points for the United States.
Golden State’s newest star helped lead the U.S. Olympic team past China 107-57 on Tuesday night for a third dominant victory in as many exhibition games.
“It was amazing. The atmosphere was great, energy was great. The fans showed me major love, so I appreciate that,” he said.
Russian update: President Vladimir Putin ripped what he called “discrimination” against Russia’s banned track and field athletes at a Kremlin send-off ceremony for its depleted Olympic team.
Fencers and triathletes became the latest team of Russians cleared to compete by their sports’ governing bodies ahead of the Moscow ceremony, but the IAAF rejected a bid by the bulk of the track and field team to be reinstated. Long jumper Darya Klishina has been cleared to compete because she trains in Florida and was not tainted by the scandal.
More than 100 Russians from the 387-member team have been banned so far from going to Rio de Janeiro.
“We can’t accept indiscriminate disqualification of our athletes with an absolutely clean doping history,” Putin said. “We cannot and will not accept what in fact is pure discrimination.”
Putin spoke with twotime Olympic pole-vaulting champion Yelena Isinbayeva. Fighting back tears, Isinbayeva told Rio-bound Russians: “Show them what you’re able to do — for yourself and for us, too.”