RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Pau Gasol scored 31 points in perhaps his final Olympic game and Spain added a bronze to its collection on Sunday with an 89-88 win over Australia, again denied its first medal inside the rings.
Sergio Rodriguez made two free throws with 5.4 seconds left and the Spaniards, who captured silver in 2008 at Beijing and the London Games, got the defensive stop they needed as Australia fumbled the ball away on its last possession.
Gasol and his teammates celebrated by piling on top of each other near center court. This wasn’t the medal they wanted, but they’ll take it.
For the Aussies, it’s more Olympic heartbreak. Several players were in tears after Australia finished fourth for the fourth time.
Patty Mills scored 30 and David Anderson 15 for the Aussies, who played almost the entire second half without Andrew Bogut. The 7-footer fouled out less than two minutes into the third quarter.