Despite sticking with the gold-medal favourites for a quarter and a bit, Australia was overwhelmed by the athleticism of Team USA in their men's basketball quarter-final, going down by 31 points, 116-85.
After leading by just one point at quarter time (25-24) and 12 – only after a last-second three-pointer from Deron Williams – at the main break (55-43), the Americans stepped up a gear and Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, in particular, did as they pleased in the second half.
The Australians started fumbling, looked hesitant and were outjumped and outmuscled as the NBA superstars put on something of a clinic as they pressed harder in defence and went to the basket far more aggressively.
The Boomers didn't stop trying, though, and young guard Patrick Mills showed he belongs in elite company with 20 points, including a pair of threes, as well as three steals and his usual energy level.
“There was stage-fright there mate, definitely stage-fright there,” Mills admitted when told after the game that he didn’t seem at all overwhelmed by the calibre of the opposition.
“In the end you just have to see them as ordinary players. You try to come out and put your best foot forward and see what happens.”
Glen Saville hit 4-of-5 for 13 points, Brad Newley impressed with his slashes to the hoop as he added 10 and Joe Ingles played the entire last quarter for 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting (3-of-3 threes).
“We had respect for the American team, but we played with no fear,” Newly said. “We played like Aussies. But we made a few mistakes in the second half and it cost us the game.”
“We really wanted to get a medal; it was my goal,” he added. “But we got the nation’s attention, which is important to basketball.”
The Americans were not afraid to flex their muscles and it was clear that the Boomers were physically overmatched, but no-one told them as they fought and scrapped as hard as they could. But there's no substitute for height, and it was often the case that the opposition was simply too tall.
Matt Nielsen, in particular, took a hammering as he tried to post up and take inside shots, and his seven points didn't show enough reward for his effort.
“It’s Olympic basketball. Obviously there are some big guys out there,” Nielsen said.
“We had a decent game plan. We just didn’t stick to it. Once you give them a sniff, it’s over.”
Unfortunately for Australia, its big men were a non-factor: Andrew Bogut in early foul trouble and with just four points in 11 minutes before appearing to hurt his ankle, David Anderson with two points (1-of-6) in 16 minutes.
Chris Anstey showed flashes of his ability with seven points, five rebounds and two assists, but the overall statistics tell the tale, with the Boomers hitting 30-of-70 shots (43 percent) to the Americans' 43-of-76 (57 percent) and the US winning the rebound count 57-28.
Bryant led all scorers with 25 points (10-of-16, including 4-of-7 threes), James added 16 (7-of-12), along with nine rebounds, three assists and four steals, while Carmelo Anthony scored almost at will as he netted 15 points.
The Americans started to take control midway through the second quarter but it was in the third that they asserted their supremacy, outscoring the Boomers 34-18, to lead 89-61 at the last break.
The Aussies equalled their first-quarter offensive output in the final term – thanks largely to Ingles' 11 points – and, like the first period, were only just outscored (27-24), so they will take some solace from the half-a-game they matched it with the team of NBA stars.