The 2016 Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will fire off in just a few hours. While defending gold medal winner United States is the overwhelming favorite to win their sixth straight Olympic gold, there also some other things to look forward to.
Here are five things about the upcoming Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament:
Brace for what could be Diana Taurasi's sensational swan song
Diana Taurasi is 34 years old and this might be her final Olympic appearance. Already a winner of three gold medals in the Olympic stage, Taurasi might be in for an impressive encore run.
Earlier this year, Taurasi led UMMC Ekaterinburg to the 2015-16 EuroLeague Women championship. She averaged 20.9 PPG, 5 RPG, and 4.2 APG in that season. She is also the Phoenix Mercury's leading scorer in the 2016 WNBA season with 18.9 PPG.
Though the United States have a loaded group, it is clear Taurasi will still one of the primary offensive options for the team in the Olympics. She started in all four of the team's exhibition matches. She dropped 20 against Australia. When Geno Auriemma needs a take-charge guy to carry the group, it has to be Taurasi, one of the world's best players of all time.
Absence of star players affect France and Spain's hopes for a podium finish
France and Spain are two of the better contenders in this tournament, but it remains to be seen if the two sides shall be able to make it to the podium this year.
France's hopes took a massive blow just a few days before the start of the tournament as veteran point guard Celine Dumerc sustained an ankle injury which will force her out of the games. Dumerc averaged 7.7 PPG and 7.7 APG in the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women which France hosted.
Spanish center Sancho Lyttle will be also be out of the games after an ankle injury. Lyttle, who averaged 18.2 PPG and 11.5 RPG in the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women where she was named a part of the all-star five, is expected to miss the rest of the 2016 WNBA season as well.
This is a big chance for Canada to cap a great basketball cycle
The Canadian women's basketball team has a huge chance to cap an impressive basketball cycle here in the Olympic Games. The squad hosted and won the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship for Women for the first time, earning them an outright berth to Rio. The team also won gold in the 2015 Pan Am Games.
Lisa Thomaidis is bringing the same roster from 2015 which includes a mix of veterans and young stars. Canada, the no. 9 team in the world is coming off an impressive build-up, which included a sweep of China in the Edmonton Grads International Classic and a win over a full-strength France squad during the USA Basketball showcase. The United States and Australia are obviously the favorites to go one and two, after those two powerhouse teams, it is pretty much a wide-open race.
It does not get closer than this for Australia
Australia, the United States' rival in the international scene, has one of its most formidable rosters in recent years for the Olympics. Liz Cambage is back in tow, and has been performing well in the team's exhibition games. Weapons like Penny Taylor, Erin Phillips, and Leilani Mitchell are all part of the squad as well.
It is clear that the Aussies are still the biggest threat to the United States' quest for another gold medal. In its recent tune-up against the defending gold medal winner, Australia managed to take a lead and give its opponent a good challenge. The Olympics will be a different atmosphere for both sides, and
Will Serbia shine?
This is the Serbia women's basketball team's first-ever appearance in the Olympic stage. The team copped the 2015 FIBA EuroBasket Women championship last year which included wins over Turkey, Belarus, and France, giving them an outright spot in the Olympic Games.
The squad will be having the same core from that 2015 squad, which includes EuroBasket Women MVP Ana Dabovic and Sonja Petrovic. This tournament is a great opportunity for this team to continue making great strides and to also prove they belong at this level.
(For the full schedule of the 2016 Rio Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament, click here)
All photos from FIBA.com
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