U.S. stifles Australia

The Americans' talent is too much for the home team and produces a gold medal win.

By Times staff writer

SYDNEY, Australia -- So much for decibels and drama. Australia -- and a hush -- fell Saturday at the SuperDome.

The United States women's basketball team repeated as Olympic gold medalist, rolling to a surprisingly easy 76-54 victory that had the effect of a mute button on a crowd of 14,978.

"We wanted to stifle the crowd at the beginning," said Natalie Williams, who had 15 points and nine rebounds off the Americans' deep bench. "We knew that if we got a big lead that they would quiet down."

The game matched teams unbeaten in these Olympics, teams featuring players familiar to WNBA watchers. Something had to give -- an American team with the best depth in the tournament or an Australian team with a country behind it.

The United States -- which also won the gold medal in 1996, 1988 and 1984 -- built a double-figure lead late in the first half and had an answer for the few comeback attempts Australia could manage.

"The Americans are great, they are an awesome team," said Lauren Jackson, who led Australia with 20 points and 13 rebounds. "They played a great game. But we can still beat them. I still think we can beat them."

If so, this would have seemed to be the time, with a home-court -- a home-country -- advantage.

"They got pumped up a little bit, but we came right back and answered," said Katie Smith, another of the reserves who throughout the tournament helped the United States wear down opponents.

"You have to do that. With something like this, you can't give them any more oomph than they have. We decided to keep the crowd out of it."

Down 15 points early in the second half, Australia had an 8-0 run. The Americans answered with an 8-2 run for a 53-40 lead.

Australia scored the next five points, then the United States responded with a 7-0 run. As for taut drama, that was pretty much it.

"We came out and took away their game plan," said Nikki McCray, a starter who hit 4 of 6 shots for eight points. "Australia's a tremendous basketball team. We forced them into their uncomfortable zone.

"They got some open shots, but we wanted them to put the ball on the floor and have them take off-balance shots. That's what we did. We were able to capitalize and get some rebounds."

Australia shot 30.8 percent and was outrebounded 48-27.

"We knew we were better," said Teresa Edwards, who won her fourth gold medal and also has a bronze. "We had to go out hard and prove it."

Even with the one-sided score, there was tension on the court.

The game was loosely officiated, and players often banged into each other with nothing called. Sheryl Swoopes and Australia's Kristi Harrower jawed briefly as they walked off the floor at halftime, and the crowd booed when Griffith and Michele Timms got tangled up near the U.S. basket and tumbled to the floor.

Late in the game, Leslie lost her hair extension and accused Jackson of pulling it off.

"That's all right. She can have the hair," Leslie said. "I have the gold."

Jackson said it was an accident.

Australia's silver medal marked the nation's highest finish ever in women's basketball. The Aussies won their first seven games in Sydney with outstanding defense and sharp teamwork, but the team known affectionately to its fans as the Opals could not match the Americans' talent.

Leslie was too quick for the Australian post players, Williams and Griffith too strong. Swoopes scored almost any time she felt like it. And the U.S. depth was overwhelming. Australia just couldn't keep up.

"They have so many bigs. It's not just Natalie," Australia's Sandy Brondello said. "I'm disappointed. I didn't knock down the shots I usually do and I got those open shots."

Edwards, 36, says she's retiring, so the American team for the 2004 Athens Games could be dramatically different. McCray, also a gold medalist in 1996, said she'll likely not play in 2004.

"I don't see that in four years," said McCray, who plans to continue playing in the WNBA. "But if God says otherwise, then I will.

"I'm just trying to get through year by year. Basketball's been really great for me. I've seen the world. I've met a lot of people. But I think I'm ready to move to the next stage, and that's be a mom, have a family ... maybe coaching. Who knows?"

But look for Chamique Holdsclaw -- like McCray, a former University of Tennessee star and currently playing for the WNBA's Washington Mystics -- in 2004. She'll leave Sydney with a gold medal but without having played because she has the start of a stress fracture in her right foot.

"It was a blow to me when I got hurt, because this is what I worked for and dedicated my summers to," Holdsclaw said. "But everything happens for a reason, and I'm still an Olympian, and I still went out there and supported this team.

"I'm just excited about this team's gold medal victory, but I'm also motivated for the future. ... I want to compete in an Olympics."

In the bronze medal game, Brazil beat South Korea, 84-73, in overtime.