Olympics roundup: Rudy Gobert scores 14, France upsets Team USA – Deseret News
Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert was one of three French players to score in double-figures as France rallied past Team USA 83-76 early Sunday morning in the opening game of men’s basketball group play at the Tokyo Olympics.
Evan Fournier, who scored 28 points, sparked a 14-0 French run after the United States led 74-67 with 3:41 to play.
It’s the first Olympic basketball loss for the Americans since 2004.
Gobert started and nearly had a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds for France. He shot 5-for-6 from the field.
Former Weber State star Damian Lillard started for Team USA and had 11 points in the loss, though he shot just 3 of 10 from the field and had four turnovers.
Australia 84, Nigeria 67
Jazz wing Joe Ingles also had a good start to the Olympics, starting for Australia and scoring 11 points in their opening win over Nigeria. He hit a pair of 3-pointers and added four rebounds and three assists as Australia pulled away in the fourth quarter for the win.
Fellow Jazzman Miye Oni scored two points and had two rebounds and two assists for Nigeria.
Rhyan White finishes sixth overall in 100-meter women’s backstroke qualification, moves on to the semifinals
Utah native Rhyan White finished second in her heat and sixth overall in the 100-meter women’s backstroke qualifications with a time of 59.02. Competing in her first-ever Olympics and representing the USA, the 21-year-old junior — who attends Alabama — is the first-ever Utah born swimmer to make the Olympics.
White will compete in the 100-meter women’s backstroke semifinals tonight at 8:53 p.m. MDT. In the field of 16 swimmers, White will have to be among the best eight to move on to the finals.
Jake Gibb, playing with a replacement partner, beats Italy 2-0 in beach volleyball
Utahn Jake Gibb is without his normal partner, Trevor Crabb, who is out due to COVID. Gibb and his replacement partner, Tri Bourne — representing the USA — got the job done on Sunday, defeating Italy’s Enrico Rossi and Adrian Ignacio Carambula Raurich 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) in beach volleyball.
The 45-year-old Gibb had nine attack points, while Bourne had 21. Gibb also added two block points and a serve point.
The pair will take on Switzerland’s Mirco Gerson and Adrian Heidrich next on Tuesday at 6 p.m. MDT.
Former Utah softball player Anissa Urtez hits 2-run home run in Mexico’s 5-0 win
Former Ute Anissa Urtez continues to star for Mexico, hitting a two-run homer in Mexico’s first win of the Olympics.
Urtez’s home run to left field came in the fifth inning with Mexico up 2-0. The two-run round-tripper increased Mexico’s lead to 4-0, and Brittany Cervantes homered later in the inning to make it 5-0.
Mexico faces Australia on Monday at 5 a.m. MDT, with the winner advancing to the bronze medal game.
Real Salt Lake’s Douglas Martinez starts as Honduras beats Australia 3-2
Real Salt Lake forward Douglas Martinez started and played 71 minutes in Honduras’ 3-2 win over Australia on Sunday. Martinez had a shot on goal but couldn’t convert. Honduras’ Rigoberto Rivas scored the game-winner in the 87th minute. All four teams in Group B — South Korea, New Zealand, Romania and Honduras — now have three points with one game left. Martinez and Honduras will play South Korea on July 28 at 2:30 a.m. MDT.
MyKayla Skinner and Grace McCallum have good showing, but don’t qualify for individual finals
Former Utah gymnast MyKayla Skinner and future Ute Grace McCallum had good moments during Sunday’s gymnastics qualification, but neither qualified for the individual finals.
McCallum will compete next with Team USA on Tuesday at 4:45 a.m. MDT.
You can read the full story on gymnastics qualifications below.
Up next
7/25, 7 p.m. MDT: Hannah Flippen (Team USA alternate, former Utah softball player), softball vs. Japan
7/25, 8 p.m. MDT: Taylor Sander (Team USA, former BYU volleyball player), men’s volleyball vs. Russia Olympic Committee
7/25, 8:53 p.m. MDT: Rhyan White (Team USA, Utah native), women’s swimming 100-meter backstroke semifinals
7/26, 2:20 a.m. MDT: Kim (Smith) Gaucher (Team Canada, former Utah women’s basketball player), women’s basketball vs. Serbia
7/26, 5 a.m. MDT: Anissa Urtez (Team Mexico, former Utah softball player), softball vs. Australia
