Game 3: USA vs. Australia
Words. Aron Phillips
After two straight losses, this game tonight was a big one. The coaches gave the team the day off today to rest up and get focused, so perhaps that’s what will do the trick. Regardless, playing against a tough Australia team, the 2K Sports Preseason All-American Team was going to have to come out with their guns blazing.
The starters were Ray McCallum (PG), Trae Golden (SG), Justin Martin (SF), Josh Hairston (PF) and Jared Sullinger (C), and McCallum (12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists) got busy right away scoring the first bucket. Australia plays such good helpside defense that you’d think they were playing a zone. With a fullcourt zone press and trap too, they weren’t messing around from the jump.
After almost five minutes, Australia jumped out to a 14-4 lead as their height and three-point shooting seemed to both the team. But after a floater from Cory Joseph and then an alley-oop from Joseph to Tristan Thompson for the flush, the 2K Sports Preseason All-American Team finally got their swagger back.
But no matter what we were throwing at them, their fullcourt trap into a zone was tough to compete with. Add the fact that they were making almost every single three that they took, and it was going to be an upward battle to snag our first victory.
Enter Jordan McRae. After making 3-of-4 threes the previous night, you could see that he was still feeling it, knocking down his first trifecta attempt. Thompson (16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) joined in on the offensive comeback, taking his guy off the dribble and converting. But it was the Block Party that was hosted by these two that was most impressive. Thompson’s was a nasty block on the fastbreak that was LeBron-esque, while McRae’s was more of a traditional stuff (although still nice) that got him and the team rallied and going.
Working our way back, it was all about pushing the ball and taking it strong to the hoop. With five minutes left in the half, we were down 39-26. But instead of quitting, the defensive intensity picked up as pride must have made an appearance. By halftime, we had cut it to 45-35.
The fact that we were down only 10 and they had made almost every three they took was a good thing, because I knew there was no way they could have kept it up. Closing the gap, Golden and McCallum connected for a couple buckets, while Sullinger (who had a monster, rim-rocking dunk of his own) and Hairston were playing great interior defense. But it was Josh Selby, quiet up until that point, that started to take over.
After cutting the lead to 45-44, Selby (9 points, 5 rebounds) continued attacking, eventually taking the lead 50-49 in the fourth quarter. Helping him out was McRae (19 points, 3 rebounds) who converted an and-one to make it 57-56 with 1:13 left to play in the third quarter.
As the final period began, you could sense the urgency and desire to get a W on our part. On the offensive end, McRae, Thompson and Selby continued to put in work, while on the defensive end, the whole team was digging in, jumping to trap corners and forcings some turnovers.
Back and forth, the lead kept changing on every possesion. While Australia started to hit their threes again, Sullinger (9 points, 10 rebounds) and Thompson were a force to wreckon with down low. But as if we were the Chicago Bulls, it was Jordan time. After a Sullinger block, McRae hit a runner the other way to give us a 73-72 lead. The next trip down, McRae headed to the line and knocked ‘em both down to make it 75-72. Then the following play, McRae got open on the break and made it 77-74 with 1:09 left to play.
But with some offense of their own, Australia tied the game 77-77 with 29.7 seconds left. After we couldn’t convert on the offensive end, it was up to our defense to hold Australia in the final four seconds and push the game to overtime. But apparently it just wasn’t meant to be, as Australia knocked down a runner at the buzzer for the win.
How many more games are there? Is there a schedule posted somewhere?
COACHES TEACH YOUR KIDS: On The Whistle – (Dead Ball Situations, Change of Possession, etc.) Be Quick To Move To Get The Ball Inbounds, or Back Fast and Ready on the Defensive End.
On The Offensive Change of Possession…”RUSH THE REFEREE” for the Ball. See How The Ref Responds. If The Ref Likes To Slow Action Down So That The Defense Can Get Ready, Coaches That What You Have To Notice and Coach Against. Spectators Will Notice.
That is the US Problem! To Lazy and Slow Off The Whistle.
COACH OFFENSIVELY! COACH AGAINST THE SLOW UP THE GAME USA REFEREE STYLE “OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM”. THAT IS NOT HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED INTERNATIONALLY.
If Your Team Does Not Have Offensive Firepower, The Slow Down The Pace Referee is Pefect For You, Which Ultimately is the Biggest Problem in US Basketball and the Main Reason Why Coaches Coach Defensive Style “Instructional Basketball”. It Doesn’t Work!
What a Shame! Our Kids Are Demonstrating US Basketball Philosophy. 0 Wins – 3 Losses. I Hope Coaches Are Getting an Education. The Best Basketball Talent in France is 0 – 3!
LEARN THE OFFENSIVE APPROACH. ALL GOOD OFFENSIVE TEAMS ARE GOOD DEFENSIVELY. Score and Control Game Flow. Don’t Let Officiating Control It. Always Play Contrary To That Type Official.
COACHES: THE POINT GUARD IS THE KEY!
Our Kids Aren’t Ready To Compete Against The Offensive Philosphy. Our Coaches Aren’t Teaching Them.
US COACHES & REFEREES SHOULD GO TO INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL OFFICIATING CAMPS.
That is not the best basketball talent in the US. Several top players are not on that team. It’s not even close.
Most of Them Are Listed in This WebSite Top 50. Come On, Stop With The Excuses Already! Go To International Referee Camps, There You Will Learn Offensive Basketball. Watch More International Basketball. Watch and Act The International Style Until You Don’t Have To Act Anymore. Then You Will Be On The Right Track.