LONDON — The French women’s basketball team calls their point guard Celine D., but they might smack into a Titanic-like loss tonight when they face the U.S. women’s basketball juggernaut at North Greenwich Arena in the gold-medal game.
France, making just its second Olympic appearance, has stunned many by going undefeated, largely because of its point guard, Celine Dumerc, whom the U.S. team has likened to Steve Nash.
But Dumerc can’t do it alone and the USA women’s Olympic dynasty is expected to go on and win a fifth straight gold medal while extending its Olympic winning streak to 41 games, dating to the bronze-medal game in 1992.
The U.S. took Australia’s best punch in the semifinals and came out on top 86-73 Thursday. The Americans trailed at halftime by four points, their first halftime deficit since 2000.
Dumerc, averaging 15.1 points on 57.7 percent shooting from 3-point range, will have her hands full on defense as the U.S. starting backcourt of Syosset’s Sue Bird and former UConn star Diana Taurasi combined to shoot 14 of 17 against the Aussies. U.S. coach Geno Auriemma said his biggest challenge is making sure his players remember they beat Australia in the semifinals and not the gold-medal game.