Gotnext Women's Basketball Boards

whiterose · Joined: 04 Aug 2002 Posts: 33

Did anyone see Australia's 75-55 win over Russia? I was amazed at how bad Maria Stepanova played. I've been checking the box scores and saw her numbers were very low. After watching her lackluster play, I see why.
What happened?
By the way, Becky Hammon scored 20 of Russia's 55 points on 8-of-11 shooting. I know why they bought her services. Without her, that team would be lucky to get out of pool play. Wow, they looked pitiful.

SportsFan48 · Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1137

I don't think the Russian coach uses Maria well. Her minutes are really sporatic. She seems to get frustrated at times and I wonder if it is as much with him as with what is happening on the court.

Also, I watched the USA vs Russia game online using the rewind function on the schedule. There is very little sound...mostly muffled background or arena noise. But when the timeouts were called, you could hear the Russian coach yelling at his team big time. Such a shame.

I thought Maria was very good against the US and Rebekka was terrible. Sometimes it is the day or the matchup.

whiterose · Joined: 04 Aug 2002 Posts: 33

The U.S. set out to put Hammon in her place and did. She couldn't get the ball much less get an open look at the basket. Stepanova played her best game against USA. Defensively, I thought she actually had Lisa Leslie intimidated, completely took her out of the game. When she blocked Sylvia Fowles' shot, Fowles' looked like that had never happened before. Stepanova also played better against China, although she missed about seven wide-open, point blank layups.
Perhaps she was feeling under the weather early in the tournament. She did play better later.
Hammon may not have been good enough to play for Team USA but she was clearly Russia's best player. They don't win bronze without her.