RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – There was a calm, relaxed atmosphere at the final practice for the U.S. women’s basketball team.
Maybe it’s because injured guard Sue Bird was able to participate. Or maybe because many of the players have been in this position before – a win away from another Olympic title.
“I understand it’s a gold medal game, we’ve approached it like any other game,” said Bird, who has helped the U.S. win the last three golds at the Olympics. “At the start of this entire month, every single practice and game we approached it like it was a gold medal game. Today’s no different.”
The Americans will play Spain on Saturday in search of a sixth consecutive gold. Spain has already guaranteed itself of a first-ever Olympic medal in women’s basketball.
It looks like the U.S. will have Bird back for the title tilt. She missed the semifinal win over France as she was recovering from a sprained right knee capsule. She said she felt much better Friday and it showed. After taking part in practice, Bird went through a hard workout when it was finished to test the right knee.