May 19, 2013
London 2012, Bronze Medal Game: August 12
Andrei Kirilenko - Russia (Photo: London2012.com)Russia won its first Olympic medal as an independent country by edging Argentina 77-81 in the Bronze Medal game at the O2, home of the 2013 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four, on Sunday. Former Euroleague winner Alexey Shved paced the winners with 25 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer in the final seconds, and 7 assists. Reigning Euroleague MVP Andrei Kirilenko added 20 points and 8 rebounds while Eurocup champion Vitaly Fridzon of BC Khimki had 19 points for Russia. Former Euroleague MVP Manu Ginobili led Argentina with 21 points. Two-time All-Euroleague forward Andres Nocioni of Caja Laboral added 16, Carlos Delfino had 15 while three-time All-Euroleague big man Luis Scola got 11. Three-pointers by Ginobili, Nocioni and Delfino allowed Argentina to get a 20-19 lead after 10 minutes. Argentina boosted its margin to 27-21 soon after that but Shved and All-Euroleague forward Viktor Khryapa fueled a 0-12 run that helped Russia to keep a 38-40 edge at halftime. Kirilenko took over after the break and got valuable help from CSKA center Sasha Kaun and Fridzon to make it an 11-point game, 50-61, late in the third quarter. Argentina improved its defense right when it mattered and a 12-1 run that Ginobili capped with a driving layup tied it at 62-62. It all came down to the final seconds, as Ginobili gave Argentina a 77-76 edge. Shved buried a huge triple and Fridzon sealed the outcome with a fast break layup.

Nocioni got Argentina going with a layup in transition but Kirilenko and Shved answered from downtown for a 4-8 Russian lead. Ginobili and Scola rescued Argentina but a hump hook by Kaun kept Russia ahead, 9-12. Nocioni kept pacing Argentina with a driving basket and a three-pointer by Ginobili put his team back ahead, 14-12. Fridzon hit an off-balance shot but Nocioni answered from downtown for a 17-14 Argentinian lead. Fridzon stayed on fire with a three-point play and free throws but Delfino joined the three-point shootout to keep Argentina ahead, 20-19, after 10 minutes. Kaun dunked it early in the second quarter but Delfino had 5 points in a 7-0 run thar forced Russia to call timeout at 27-21. Shved and Khryapa struck from beyond the arc, igniting a 0-12 run that Kirilenko capped with consecutive fast break baskets to give Russia a 27-33 lead. Leo Gutierrez stepped up with consecutive triples and Ginobili added his own shot from downtown but Fridzon, Kirilenko and Shved allowed Russia to keep a 38-40 edge at halftime.

Nocioni buried a three-pointer right after the break but Kaun scored again and Kirilenko added a backdoor layup for a 41-44 Russian edge. Two-time All-Euroleague guard Pablo Prigioni and Shved traded triples but Nocioni scored in penetration to keep Argentina within 46-47. Kirilenko followed a dunk with a layup to make Argentina call timeout at 48-53. russia found a new go-to guy in Fridzon, who got some help from his BC Khimki teammate Sergey Monya to make it a double-digit game, 50-61. Ginobili and Facu Campazzo stepped up to keep Argentina in the game, 57-61, after 30 minutes. Russia kept struggling to score early in the fourth quarter and a layup by Scola brought Argentina within 60-61. Kirilenko gave Russia some fresh air, 62-64, with over 6 minutes left. Shved followed a triple with a jumper off the dribble and soon added a backdoor slam for a 66-71 Russian lead. Three-pointers by Nocioni and Ginobili, however, completed the Argentinian comeback, 72-71. Free throws by Shved tied it at 74-74 with 1:26 to go. Delfino split foul shots, Fridzon did not miss from the line but an acrobatic layup by Ginobili restored a 77-76 Argentinian lead with 43 seconds left. Shved buried a three-pointer off a Russian timeout, Nocioni missed from downtown and Fridzon sealed the outcome with a fast break layup.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Euroleague.net
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