Irish in the Olympics Day 6: A pair of basketball thrillers
By Greg Hadley
In two unexpectedly tight games, Notre Dame alums helped their respective teams to victory and 3-0 starts in the Olympics.
Four former Irish athletes were in competition Wednesday, with the main events being Natalie Achonwa and Team Canada against Senegal in women’s basketball, and Monty Williams and the U.S. vs. Australia on the men’s side.
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At stake for both teams was a spot atop their group standings and a perfect 3-0 start to the Games, and both squads were heavily favored.
Instead, we were left with two scrappy contests. For Canada, Senegal refused to go quietly after being thrashed by the United States in its opener, staying within striking distance and closing the gap to seven points on several occasions in the fourth quarter.
Achonwa played 9:30 for Canada off the bench and was an effective part of the team’s reserves, which outscored their opponents 28-17. The former All-American finished up with seven points and two rebounds.
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On the men’s side, the U.S. and Williams were expected to roll to another victory and keep their perfect record intact, but the Australians proved to be a far sterner test than anyone expected, even leading the Americans at halftime. However, behind 31 points from Carmelo Anthony, the USA rallied to claim a 98-88 win.
Notre Dame’s other coach in the Olympics, Netherlands beach volleyball assistant Angie Akers, had a rough day on the beach, as one of her teams fell in straight sets to a German squad. The Dutch remain long shots to contend for a medal.
Finally, the only current Notre Dame student-athlete in the Olympics, senior fencer Lee Keifer, fought Wednesday in the individual foil. After finishing fifth in the 2012 Games, Keifer was considered a contender for a medal, but she fell in the round of 16.
Unlike some of her teammates who have a second chance at a medal through the team competition, Keifer’s Olympics are over; two team events are rotated out of each Games, and this time women’s foil was one of them.
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On Thursday, two fellow Irish fencers will take to the piste, as the Hurley sisters, Courtney and Kelley, fence in the women’s team epee competition. No other Notre Dame alums will be in action.