Over the last two years, as reports on Dario Saric were coming in from overseas, much was said about the 2014 first-round pick’s scrappy, blue collar style of play. Sunday, he put those traits on display for world to see, delivering a game-saving block to send Croatia to a 72-70 victory over Spain in the 2016 summer Olympics opener for both nations.And it wasn’t just any stuff that preserved Croatia’s unexpected win in front of 8,039 fans at Carioca Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Saric’s swat came in emphatic fashion, and prevented Spain’s six-time NBA All-Star Pau Gasol from potentially tying the game as time expired.The Homie says gimme that W. https://t.co/SbmwAbhFzg— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) August 8, 2016 The clutch defensive stand capped an impressive comeback for Croatia, which trailed Spain by as many as 14 points. Croatia, however, outscored Spain by nine points in the fourth quarter, en route to earning its 14th victory in Olympics history.Saric finished with five points (1-7 fg, 0-4 3fg), a team-high tying seven rebounds, and club-best five assists.Throughout Sunday’s spirited, entertaining affair, Saric occasionally found himself on the floor with Sergio Rodriguez. Saric formally signed with the Sixers on July 15th, two days after Rodriguez came to terms with the organization.While the two future teammates will soon be united by Sixers’ red, white, and blue in the not-too-distant future, on this day, they lined up on opposite sides, sporting the colors of their respective home countries.Rodriguez, making his second appearance at the Olympics for Spain, played a pivotal role in staking his squad to a double-digit edge early in the third quarter. He ended the evening with 10 points (3-11 fg, 2-7 3fg), and seven assists, the highest total of helpers in the game. As for some other observations from Sunday’s tilt specific to Saric and Rodriguez:Saric
The Homie says gimme that W. https://t.co/SbmwAbhFzg
In Sunday’s opening minute of play, Saric quickly made his versatile presence felt. He grabbed a defensive rebound on the game’s first possession, then, on Croatia’s ensuing trip down the court, assisted on the first basket of the contest.
Saric was the second-most used player by Croatia head coach Aleksander Petrovic. The 22-year old forward was on the court for 33:31 of the game’s 40 minutes of regulation. The only Croatian to get more action than Saric was Bojan Bogdanovic, who paced his country with 23 points in 35:54.
Throughout Sunday’s game, Saric was tasked with the unenviable challenge of battling a pair of legitimate NBA big men. Most of the night, the 22-year old forward found himself matched up with Nikola Mirotic, a 2015 NBA All-Rookie First-Team honoree set to enter his third season with Chicago. In other instances, such as the decisive sequence in Sunday’s bout, Saric also had to contend with Pau Gasol. This forthcoming NBA campaign will be Gasol’s 17th, and he’ll spend it in San Antonio, after signing with the Spurs in July.
Saric, despite having to deal regularly with the likes of the older, more physically mature Mirotic and Gasol, showed no signs of being intimidated inside. Although his offensive drives didn’t necessarily result in field goals, Saric managed to get to the free throw line on three occasions. He went three for six from the stripe, with his final trip resulting in Croatia’s last point of the evening.
The bulk of Saric’s box line was compiled after intermission. He generated one rebound and two assists in a scoreless first half, then, in the second stanza, posted all five of his points, plus five more rebounds, and three more assists.
With 17.3 seconds remaining in regulation, Saric, defending an in-bounds play, appeared to make knee-to-knee contact with Gasol at the left high post. Following the collision, Saric needed a few moments to get to his feet, but immediately returned to the court when play resumed.
Rodriguez
Rodriguez wasn’t in Sergio Scariolo’s starting line-up Sunday, but he ended the game as one of the five Spaniards on the floor.
Rodriguez first checked into the match-up with under five minutes remaining in the opening quarter, and proceeded to bring a smooth flow to Spain’s attack. Over the course of the contest, he proved effective in pick-and-roll offense, and, despite initially coming off the bench, received Spain’s starting point guard nod in the second half.
The bulk of Rodriguez’s field goal attempts came from outside the arc. He took 11 shots in all, hitting two of seven three-point tries.
Croatia, ranked 12th in the world, and Spain, number two in the latest FIBA World Ranking, resume play in the 12-country Olympic tournament on Tuesday. Croatia faces Argentina at 9:30 PM EST, while Spain squares off with host Brazil at 1:15 PM EST.
