News & Neuigkeiten » Champion Chase and his final win

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Here is some at-the-buzzer analysis from press row at the Carioca Arena 1 after Team USA booked a spot in the semifinals of the Rio Olympics with an emphatic 105-78 victory over Argentina on Wednesday:How it happened: Remember what Argentinean sage Luis Scola said the other day?Its Scolas contention, after a lifetime in the international game, that no one has a bigger say in how the United States fares than the United States itself.Its pretty much up to [them], he told me early in the tournament.Three sluggish showings from the Yanks against Australia, Serbia and France certainly tested Scolas theory. But this quarterfinal reunion with the rugged Argentines brought it back into focus because Team USA snapped out of its weeklong funk with a strong display of team ball that enabled the Group A winners to reintroduce themselves to the concept of winning comfortably with this 27-point triumph.And they did so emphatically after falling into an early 10-point hole.With the Argentines passing and cutting their way to a quick 19-9 lead in what is widely believed to be the Olympic swan song for the likes of Scola and Manu Ginobili, Team USA awoke at last, rediscovering the determination on D that was so lacking for half of group play.The Americans also stopped settling for every 3-pointer that presented itself and gradually got the ball moving, too, which led to a stunning 38-8 run that made it 47-27 before the Argentines and their famously raucous fans had much chance to celebrate.Coach Mike Krzyzewski also made the notable tactical choice to briefly divert from his reliance on Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant by taking Irving off the floor and surrounding Durant with more defensive-minded players, such as Paul George, Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler.All those changes sped the game up to a pace that the aging Argentines -- 12 years removed from their unforgettable upset of Team USA in the semifinals of the 2004 Athens Olympics -- simply couldnt cope with.The game was a non-contest throughout the fourth quarter ... but it was lively in the building nonetheless because Argentinas passionate supporters used the occasion to serenade their 04 heroes for all theyve done in the new millennium in a fashion that had awestruck Team USAers cheering from their bench.The brutish play inside of DeMarcus Cousins (15 points and two blocks) was another positive development in support of Durants team-leading 27 points (7-for-9 on 3s), enabling Team USA to look almost as dominant as it did in a 37-point exhibition trouncing of Argentina on July 22 in Las Vegas.I dont really think anybodys putting pressure on themselves, Cousins told ESPN.com before the game. We know we got a lot of expectations coming into this tournament. Were expected to win a certain type of way we havent in the last few games. But we are winning.Its funny, he continued. Because you hear some of the fan reactions or the media, and its like, were 5-0, but theres people complaining about how were winning. Ive never experienced that. But thats the kind of expectations you have playing for Team USA.For the first time in about a week, those expectations didnt look like a burden for the tournaments heavy, heavy favorites.The streak: Make it 74 wins in a row and counting for Krzyzewski. That includes 22 consecutive victories in Olympic play, 19 in FIBA World Cup tournaments, 10 in Olympic qualifiers and another 23 in exhibition games. The Americans previously tasted defeat in the semifinals of the 2006 FIBA World Championship against Greece. They launched this streak on Sept. 2, 2006, with a 96-81 victory over Argentina in the bronze-medal game in Japan.Play of the game: Durant needed 17 points Wednesday to move past Michael Jordan?for?fourth in all-time scoring for the United States in the Olympics, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and David Robinson. He got there by halftime in Kyrie Irving-esque fashion.Isolated with the ball at the top of the 3-point arc, Durant shook Andres Nocioni twice, first with a crossover to the right then with another to the left that got KD into the lane with ease. When Ginobili charged out at him, Durant simply sidestepped him with a long stride to the left and calmly dropped a fallaway jumper that gave him 18 points en route to a total of 27.The current leaderboard:(Honorable mention for Top Play: Nocionis impressive -- and highly unlikely -- rejection of a DeAndre Jordan dunk attempt at the rim early in the third quarter. Jordan got loose for a makeup dunk seconds later, but Nocioni is 36 and stands just 6-foot-7, which should explain why Argentina fans were serenading Chapu, as they call him, with a chant in celebration of the swat.)Numbers game: Only three players who represented the United States in its 2004 Olympic loss to Argentina are still active in the NBA: LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Richard Jefferson. Melo was on that Olympic squad but did not play in the Argentina game.Anthony is the only U.S. player who has appeared in all 23 Olympic Games that the Americans have played -- and won -- since the loss to Argentina in Athens. Melo had 14 Olympic points to his name at the time of that loss and has since scored 308 in the 23-game win streak to become the all-time leading U.S. scorer in Olympic hoops.Heres a detailed look at Team USAs nine consecutive wins over Argentina since the semifinal loss in Athens:Whats next: After meeting Spain in the past two gold-medal games, Team USA has to face its fiercest international rival one round earlier than normal here in Rio.To complicate matters, Spain heads into Fridays semifinals suddenly playing arguably the best basketball of any team in the tournament, having rung up lopsided victories over Lithuania, Argentina and France in its past three games by a combined 94 points.The resurrection started with a 50-point hammering of Lithuania and has completely transformed the reigning European champions, who opened this tournament with losses to Croatia and Brazil. That left Spain at an uncharacteristic 0-2, followed by an unconvincing win over Nigeria.Spanish coach Sergio Scariolo explained after Wednesdays 92-67 rout of longtime rivals France that a slow start was actually no surprise, given what he described as terrible preparations for the Olympics, thanks to injuries plaguing multiple key players, most notably Pau Gasol and Sergio Rodriguez.But the Spaniards have rebounded emphatically and, even without Marc Gasol, appear poised to push the Americans as hard as they ever have. Team USA won the past two Olympic showdowns by a combined 18 points, 118-107 in the championship game at Beijing 2008 and 107-100 in London in 2012. Bob Lilly Cowboys Jersey . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. Robert Newhouse Youth Jersey . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. http://www.cowboysfootballgearshop.com/terrell-owens-jersey/ . It was hard for Luck to pull off another comeback, or even get into the end zone, while standing on the sideline. Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to give the Chargers a 19-9 victory against the Colts on Monday night. Connor McGovern Jersey . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Michael Gallup Jersey . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends.Richard Johnson achieved an extra bonus in his relentless march to a first jockeys championship as he completed the maiden double century of his career with victory on Cheat The Cheater in the Listers Audi Novices Handicap Chase at Warwick. He earned every penny of his fee on the Claire Dyson-trained nine-year-old, who looked well held after being prominent in the early stages of the three-mile contest.Glendermot looked certain to land the spoils when kicking clear of long-time leader Kapricorne. However, he put the brakes on turning for home with two fences left to jump. That threw the race wide open and Johnson took full advantage on Cheat The Cheater.Rousting his mount to challenge, the 4-1 joint-favourite outfought his fellow market leader, who although getting a second wind, could not match Cheat The Cheater on the run-in.Johnson kept his horse up to his work to prevail by three and a half lengths.For good measure he made it a double on the day with success aboard Little Miss Poet (2-5 favourite) for his boss Philip Hobbs in the British Stallion Studs EBF Mares Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.Johnson is setting a cracking pace in his bid to win the riders title after finishing runner-up 15 times to the now-retired Sir Anthony McCoy.The success took the 38-year-old to another landmark this season as he reached 3,000 career winners at Ludlow last month.Johnson said: The season has gone so well and to get to 200 has been amazing.Ill be here all day thanking all the people who have given me rides, and the support Ive had from racegoers around the country has been amazing.Even when you have an odds-on shot it doesnt always go quite as planned, so you never take anything for granted. Im lucky I ride fancied horses on a daily basis and so I was pretty sure I would get to 200 at some point, but you never quite know when.Being champion jockey has always been my goal since I was 19 and its taken me a long time to get there.This year has gone so well and to get to 200 is an extra bonus, which I realistically did not think of at the start of the season.The championship was always the number one ambition for the season.Johnson told Racing UK: Its been a funny old winter. Its been very wet and mild. Some yards havent fired with their usual frequency, but Philips (Hobbs) have been in great form from day one which has been a massive help to me.For the first six months you obviously just want to get as many winners on the board and you do slightly worry because you never know in our job what is round the corner.I just wanted to keep fit and sound with lots of firepower to ride like Ive had for the last 15 to 20 years.I thought as long as I can be consistent Ive got to have a great chance.Aidan Coleman had a great start with John Fergusons horses and theres Sam Twiston-Davies and lots of other young lads coming through and snapping at my heels.They want to be champion as much as I do.You cant take anything for granted. The important thing now is to start in May again and get another one under my belt.Realistically it would be lovely to go to the Cheltenham Festival and have one winner. Its a hard place to go to, and a special place as well.Hopefully Philip is going to have a good team going there and it would be nice to think well have a good Cheltenham and then roll on to Aintree a few weeks after that.Hobbs said: Its great hes done it and Im delighted for him.Its good its out of the way and we can move on now and try to get him to the next hundred.Johnson joins an elite band of just three jockeys to hit a double-century in a single National Hunt season.McCoy still holds the record after riding 289 winners in the 2001-02 campaign and admitted following his retirement that his failure to get to 300 after suffering injury in his final year was one of his biggest regrets.Eight-times champion jockey Peter Scudamore enjoyed 221 winners during the 1988-89 season and expects Johnson to beat his tally before the end of this term.He said: Ive followed Richards career all the way through, with us both being Herefordshire lads, and I rode against his grandfather and his father in point-to-points.Only three of us have done it and for two of us to to be from a small county like Herefoordshire is amazing really.ddddddddddddIm really pleased for him. Its a terrific effort and a fantastic achievement.Im sure hes delighted to get it out of the way and hell be looking forward to Cheltenham now.With two months of the season to go, youd imagine he might get to 240 or 250 winners.Johnson was runner-up to McCoy in 15 of the 20 seasons he was crowned champion jockey before his retirement last year and is on course to claim a richly deserved first title in April.McCoy said: Its a brilliant achievement and takes a lot more hard work than people might think.It takes a lot of graft and dedication and Im delighted for Richard, who has worked hard and is a brilliant jockey.Hes been riding for a long time and Im sure to get to 200 winners in a season will give him a lot of satisfaction. Its something he should be very proud of.I dont like saying it, but not many have done it before.McCoy holds the record for number of winners in a National Hunt season after riding 289 winners in the 2001-02 campaign and he feels that will be a difficult total for Johnson to reach.All records are there to be broken, but to get that sort of total you need so much to go right, he said.The season I rode 289 winners, 189 of those were for Martin Pipe. Whoever is going to beat that is going to need someone like that behind them, and Martin Pipes are very hard to come by numerically.You can never say never, but Im a realist and I tried to do it again every year for the next 13 years and failed.Its still a big landmark to reach 200 winners and its great for Richard and great for the sport.*Sky Bet paid out on Richard Johnson as Champion Jockey following his 200th winner of the season.Sky Bet spokesman Michael Shinners said: Its looked for a long time like Richard Johnson would follow in the footsteps of Sir Anthony McCoy and his first double hundred is well deserved.Theres no point in keeping punters who backed Johnson waiting any longer with the title a done deal so weve paid out early on what has been a one-horse race for much of the season.After Richard Johnson reached the landmark of 200 winners in a season for the first time, we look at six of the best horses he has ridden to victory in his prolific career:FLORIDA PEARLWhile not the regular partner for Willie Mullins multiple Grade One winner, Johnson took the ride for what was to be the final victory at the top level for the 16-times race winner when steering him to his fourth win in the Irish Hennessy at Leopardstown at the grand age of 12. The pair had also won the 2001 running.VIKING FLAGSHIPWinner of the 1994 Queen Mother Champion Chase, one of two victories in the Cheltenham race, Johnson partnered the David Nicholson-trained star during the twilight of his career to victory in the Haldon Gold Cup in 1997 and in the Castleford Chase at Wetherby later that same year, on what was to be his final win.ROOSTER BOOSTERThrough his association with Philip Hobbs, the champion jockey-elect has ridden numerous winners for owner Terry Warner, of which the popular grey proudly sits at the top of the list having given him his sole triumph to date in the Champion Hurdle back in 2003.LOOKS LIKE TROUBLEAlthough limited to just the 18 career starts, Looks Like Trouble and Johnson enjoyed a good relationship with the pair blossoming at the Cheltenham Festival when they teamed up to capture the 2000 Cheltenham Gold Cup.FLAGSHIP UBERALLESDespite Joe Tizzard enjoying most of Flagship Uberalles early success, it was Johnson who was in the saddle for arguably his three most significant victories with glory in the 2000 Tingle Creek Chase, 2002 Queen Mother Champion Chase and his final win in the BMW Chase at Punchestown in 2003.REVE DE SIVOLAIn terms of modern-day staying hurdlers, there are as few as tough as Reve De Sivola, something Johnson knows all too well having been on board for his first two Grade One Long Walk Hurdle victories at Ascot in 2012 and 2013, as well his neck success over Oscar Whisky in the 2013 Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham. 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