Four former Irish athletes were in competition Wednesday, with the main events being Natalie Achonwa and Team Canada against Senegal in women’s basketball, and Monty Williams and the U.S. vs. Australia on the men’s side.
At stake for both teams was a spot atop their group standings and a perfect 3-0 start to the Games, and both squads were heavily favored.
Instead, we were left with two scrappy contests. For Canada, Senegal refused to go quietly after being thrashed by the United States in its opener, staying within striking distance and closing the gap to seven points on several occasions in the fourth quarter.