Australia rallies to end US 78-game winning streak
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sat, 24 Aug 2019 07:12:30 +0000
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – The US men’s basketball team has lost for the first time in nearly 13 years, falling to Australia, 98-94, in a pre-World Cup exhibition game on Saturday.
Patty Mills scored 30 points for Australia, which rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half.
PATTY Mills delivered the telling blows that flattened Team USA> (AP)
It was the first loss for the US in a major international tournament or exhibition since the 2006 world championship semifinals against Greece. The Americans won the bronze medal game of that tournament, and then were unbeaten through the cycles for the 2007 FIBA Americas, 2008 Olympics, 2010 World Cup, 2012 Olympics, 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
Add all that up, and it was a 78-game winning streak for the US – the longest in program history.
And it’s now over.
“They wanted it more than us tonight,” US guard Kemba Walker said. “Lesson learned for us.”
USA Basketball is No. 1 in FIBA’s world rankings, but so far in the run-up to this World Cup – with most of the top NBA All-Stars deciding to not play this summer – the Americans have not looked like a lock for more gold. They beat Spain by nine in Anaheim, California on Aug. 16, needed a big second half to defeat Australia by 16 on Thursday, and then let a second-half lead slip away Saturday.
Playing against his San Antonio coach, U.S. coach Gregg Popovich, Mills scored Australia’s last 10 points.
“It was awesome,” Mills said.
Walker scored 22 points for the US, and Harrison Barnes had 20. Donovan Mitchell’s 3-pointer with 1:05 left got the US within 97-94, the Americans forced a stop on the ensuing possession and had two chances to tie – but Mitchell’s 3-pointer was off, Joe Harris missed a corner 3 a few seconds later and Mills iced the game with a free throw.
Aron Baynes left the floor with his head back, screaming in celebration as he slapped hands with delirious countrymen. Andrew Bogut and Joe Ingles grabbed their kids and brought them on the floor for a look.
Bogut scored 16 points, Ingles had 15 and Baynes scored 13 for the Australians.
“Obviously, this was a great step for us,” Ingles said.
Baynes powered in for a score that put Australia up 82-76 with 8:25 remaining, just before Barnes answered with a three-point play for the U.S. to start an 8-0 run that put the Americans back on top. There were four lead changes in the final quarter, the last coming when Ingles made a step-back 3 with 3:35 left for an 88-87 lead.
Mills did the rest.