Terreno Deportivo Kelli Anderson: Defense lifts U.S. women into hoops final
BEIJING — As soon as the U.S. and Russian women’s basketball teams had listened to their national anthems before the start of Thursday’s first Olympic semifinal, they jogged toward each other to exchange gifts. But Becky Hammon, the U.S.-born point guard who had stood in her Russian uniform with her hand over her heart for The Star-Spangled Banner, couldn’t find a seam. She couldn’t find an open hand to place her red stuffed toy in exchange for a blue USA cap — until Katie Smith obliged as the last U.S. player in line.