Ukrainian women lose to Brazil in battle for the medals round (08/11/96)

Ukrainian women lose to Brazil in battle for the medals round

by Roman Woronowycz

ATLANTA - The Ukrainian women's basketball team that showed up for the semifinals on August 2 to play Brazil was a different team than the one that upset Australia earlier in the week. In fact, if you look at the statistics, you might say they did not show up.

The team took a whipping from the Brazilians, who did not look particularly tough, losing 81-60. The Ukrainian team just seemed plum tuckered out, to use a Southern expression.

They did not get back on defense. They did not rebound. They did not move the ball inside. Forward Oksana Dovhaliuk, whom Assistant Coach Volodymyr Kovionov had praised in the victory over Australia, which got them into the semifinals, did not respond to the challenge this time and ended up with four points, although she did manage 10 rebounds.

Maryna Tkachenko, who had led all the women's hoopsters in scoring until Australia limited her to 10 points, was again held in check, managing only three points against the Brazilians. Ukraine's two centers, Liudmyla Nazarenko and Diana Sadovnikova, were held to eight points and managed merely six rebounds between them. The 6-foot-4-inch Nazarenko had a total of two rebounds and none in the first half.

About the only players who did anything were Viktoriya Burenok and Olena Zhyrko, who combined for 21 of the team's 31 first half points, which kept Ukraine in the game.

After the half, the Brazilian team adjusted its strategy to stop the two forwards, and it was all but over except for the clock.

Brazil played tough defense from start to finish. Marta de Sooza Sobral blocked the driving lanes and forced the Ukrainians to shoot from the outside. When she got into foul trouble late in the first half, Alessandra Oliveira took over and kept the heat on.

On offense it was either Oliveira or Sobral getting easy lay-ups off rebounds, or guard Maria Paula Silva hitting from the outside. She led the Brazilians with 24 points, connecting on nine of her 16 shots, including five three-pointers.

Two days after this semifinal match-up, the winner, Brazil, went on to play for the gold against the U.S., losing 111-87; while Ukraine played Australia, which won the game for the bronze, 66-56.

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