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The coach of the United States basketball team, Mike Krzyzewski, has denied insinuations that his team arrived at the Basketball Arena of the London 2012 Olympics determined to humiliate Nigeria for being “loud-mouthed.”
The soft-spoken manager told the world media after the game which saw Nigeria’s D’Tigers badly beaten by 156-73 that what happened to Nigeria could have happened to any other team, given the performance his players put up.
He said, “It is wrong for anyone to say that it was a game plan to embarrass Nigeria because of the interest the game generated since the draw was made.
“The result turned out that way because of the shooting percentage we had on the night. We have never had it so good shooting and I am sure it is so for many teams across the world.
“Our shooting was incredible and we are surprised by what we achieved.
“It was just that Nigeria happened to be the team on ground the day we got it so right. If it was another team and we had this kind of shooting performance they could never have come near us.
“Indeed, it was a night of shots on both sides because the Nigerians were scoring highly too initially, with the difference coming more from the latter stages.
“We didn’t beat loser; the Nigerian team is a winning team also. They did not get to the Olympics by a wild card; they battled their way to this place from the Venezuela qualifiers which featured great teams from Europe.
“Yes, we came determined to win the game because any slip can be dangerous but it was a night that what we have always trained for worked perfectly.”
The match, which was highly publicised and followed by the widest audience since the basketball event started at London Olympics, set many records.
It produced the widest losing margin in Olympic history; the best scoring percentage ever for Team USA.
At the 2points range they hit 30/37 (scored 30 out of 37 attempts) and an incredible 29/46 in the 3pts range. Anthony Carmelo, who led the scoring on both sides with 37 points, hit 81% of field goals – 13/16 from the 2pt range and 10/13 for three-pointers. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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We should accept what happened in the spirit of sportmanship. Had been the reverse is the case, the whole world will equally hear our voices. My own humble submission.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous August 4, 2012 10:08 AM
ReplyDeleteyou are so right!
We try, joh! One be day be one day - Monkey go go market, e no go return! If Naija for win, shah, me, I go dance so tay everybody for town go hear my voice. As e be now, no dem way dey take basketball dey chop
ReplyDeleteHow do you think you can beat a group of guys who have been trained by the best basketball coaches in the world, in the best basketball courts and with the best equipments and with so much support and fat salaries.
ReplyDeleteThese guys train more then 12hrs every day of their lives, with every dedication, exploring every impossible techniques and skills into the art of play.
Nigerian basketball needs so much financial support from every angle, multinationals, individuals and government. We need our courts fixed, we need dedicated coaches and team players. Basketball in Nigeria has a huge fan and we need to excite them more to contribute immensely to the sports.
This is sports i love so much and I can play even in the rain and at mid night.
Basketball brings me alive. I don't pro any more due to injury.
I wana raise the new stars of world famous basketball players. I wana go to the streets
it has to start from the streets.
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