A&M to a 15-4 lead in blocks over the Tigers. Babers als

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Ten first-time Olympians. Six players who had never played a game for the senior national team before they got here. The shock to the system of three single-digit games in one single Olympics wasnt all that surprising to USA Basketball officials once you did the roster math.So thats why USAB chairman Jerry Colangelo didnt need a lot of time Sunday night, after the medals were handed out here in Rio, to make an immediate declaration about the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.We cant go back again with 10 new players, Colangelo said. Thats not going to happen.For me, he added with unmistakable relief, Im glad we got past this.Colangelo was grateful, mostly, for the presence of the few wise old heads who did make the trip to these Olympics. There they sat in front of the worlds media at the postgame podium from left to right: Mike Krzyzewski, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony.The three men most responsible for Team USAs surviving the absence of all the starry names that, because of injury or a mere desire for extra rest, didnt make themselves available this summer: LeBron James,?Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, et al.Its not just how they played but how they acted and how unselfish they were, Krzyzewski said of vets Durant and Anthony. Im amazed at these guys.Melos for sure the leader, Team USA sixth man Paul George offered. Hes the voice of this team.We dont have enough time, Colangelo said of the outgoing coach, to talk about how much he has meant to our program.Hard as it was to keep track of all the understandable praise flying around, Sundays gold-medal dismantling of Serbia was ultimately Durants day. He managed to trump the retiring Coach K (who leaves his post with a record of 88-1) and the record-setting Anthony (who became the first mens basketball player in Olympic history to win three golds) with a performance on par with the 30 points he uncorked in the 2012 gold-medal game in London.At least it was until Krzyzewski pointed out that the better parallel was mentally rewinding to the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey, Durants maiden stint with the national team as part of a super-untested roster.To me, what he did in Istanbul is what he did today, Krzyzewski said, recalling the long-range treys Durant made such a habit of sinking at the 2010 Worlds. The coaching staff was saying that. In fact he took two shots farther than he ever did in Istanbul. Its called the ultimate green light.The Americans won their final three games in group play in these Olympics by a mere 16 points combined. In the victories over Serbia and France, Durant took nine shots combined.In the knockout portion of the tournament, Team USA beat Argentina, Spain and Serbia by a total of 63 points, with Durants offensive aggressiveness standing out as the clear difference.I wasnt being myself, Durant admitted. Coach sat me down and showed me some film from 2010 and he said, I want to see that guy again.Said Colangelo, referring to the considerable debate sparked back home by Durants move to the Golden State Warriors and the resulting Durant duress he says hes seen with his own eyes: This was good for him. For his psyche.Durant, for the record, doesnt dispute that diagnosis.But he left Brazil looking positively buoyant, which the Warriors must love seeing as much as USABs elders.I cant let anybody steal my joy, Durant said, presumably addressing critics of his free-agency decisions. [Former Thunder assistant and current Team USA assistant] Monty Williams used to tell me that every day; dont let anybody steal my joy.Anthony knows the feeling. He spent much of these Olympics fielding questions about his belief that a third gold medal takes his resume to the same stratosphere as an NBA championship ring would. But now hes done playing defense for the summer and insists he, too, has zero future plans to listen to anyone eager to challenge the contention.Of course it wasnt as easy as we would have liked, Melo said. [But] this journey that we had here in Rio, starting in [Las] Vegas, you cant ask for nothing more than that.Said Durant: Im on cloud nine right now for sure.That was evident at the local airport, before Team USA boarded its flight back to the States, when Durant thrust himself into an Anthony interview with SportsCenter and bellowed: Hes coming back in 2020, baby.Except that Anthony really isnt. Nor is Krzyzewski, who steps aside at last -- one Olympics later than he originally planned -- to let San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich take over as head coach for the next four years.Durant, at 27, is obviously still on his upward arc, as good as he looked when it mattered most down here. But an era ended Sunday in South America for USAB.Ready or not.Ive seen both sides of it, Anthony said. Ive seen the losing side [in the 2004 Olympics in Athens] and Ive seen what it feels like to win three gold medals.I wouldnt trade that, for anything in the world. Shaquille ONeal Jersey . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. Kevin Mchale Jersey . -- Anaheim Ducks defenceman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand. http://www.authenticcelticsproshop.com/Bill-Russell-Jersey/ . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Robert Parish Jersey . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. Red Auerbach Jersey . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. SEC Volleyball Week 3 Player of the Week:Leah Edmond ? Kentucky Freshman ? OH ? 6-0 ? Lexington, Ky.Offensive Player of the Week:Kathryn Cather ? Ole Miss Sophomore ? RS ? 6-2 ? Hoover, Ala.Cather recorded a career-high 20 kills on a .621 hitting percentage with only two errors to lead the Rebels to a 3-2 win against Arkansas for their first SEC win of the season. She also added three service aces, five digs and three total blocks for a team-leading 24.5 points. It marked the Rebels third straight win against the Razorbacks. Cather has now hit above .400 in all three SEC matches and ranks sixth overall in the SEC at .358 and second in SEC matches only at .521.Defensive Player of the Week:Jazzmin Babers ? Texas A&M Senior ? MB ? 6-2 ? Syracuse, N.Y.Babers had a match-high and season high 10 blocks in the 3-1 victory at LSU. She averaged 2.50 blocks per set as she led A&M to a 15-4 lead in blocks over the Tigers. Babers also added 10 kills to record her first double-double of the season. She hit .333 in the matchh and leads the Aggies with a .dddddddddddd331 hitting percentage for the full season.Setter of the Week:Olivia Dailey ? Kentucky Sophomore ? 5-10 ? Trussville, Ala.In wins over No. 5 Florida and South Carolina, Dailey averaged 12.80 assists per set. She registered 37 assists in the three-set win against the Gators, and followed that with a four-set season high 53 assists against the Gamecocks. Dailey also contributed 13 digs and four total blocks in the two victories.Freshman of the Week:Leah Edmond ? Kentucky Freshman ? OH ? 6-0 ? Lexington, Ky.Edmond led her squad in kills in both games, including 19 (one off her career-high) in the win over No. 5 Florida. She then recorded 13 kills in Kentuckys win at South Carolina. On the defensive side, Edmond contributed 18 digs and three total blocks. For the week, she averaged 5.14 points, 4.29 kills and 2.57 digs per set for the Wildcats. ' ' '