Andreas Nocioni scored 37 points, including a game-tying three point field goal with 3.8 seconds left to lead Argentina past bitter rivals Brazil 111-107 in double overtime at the Rio Olympics. Facundo Campazzo added 33 points while Nene led the hosts with 24 points.
Argentina dominates the first quarter, Brazil the second, hosts lead at halftime
Brazil-Argentina is one of the fiercest rivalries in all of world basketball and the visitors got off to a fine start, breaking a 10-10 deadlock with an 14-4 run to take a ten point lead, Nocioni and Luis Scola combining for all 14 points in that spurt. Guilherme Giovannoni had five late points to keep the Brazilians in touch as Argentina took a 28-19 lead after the opening ten minutes.
Brazil's offense started the second quarter hot to draw within 33-30 on the strength of an 11-5 run, Vitor Benite with six of those 11 points. The Brailians went on a further 12-0 run to take a 42-35 lead, Argentina's offense going cold. The Argentines would pick it up a bit and Patricio Garino's three with 2:03 left in the half pulled them to within 45-41. Brazil found their bearings and closed out the half well, taking a 52-44 lead into the locker room.
Brazil continues to maintain working margin, Argentina overturns late eight point deficit to force overtime
As the third quarter began, Argentina managed to cut the deficit to three, 52-49, but Brazil went on an 11-4 run to push their lead back out to 63-53. The Argentines then proceeded to score 11 straight points to lead their stunned opponents 64-63. The lead would change hands a few times before Brazil assumed a 72-67 lead with 30 minutes having been played.
The fourth quarter began with Brazil taking a 77-73 lead before both teams went 2:03 without a point. The hosts got out of their funk quicker and a Nene jumper gave them an 83-75 lead with 2:41 to play, their fierce rivals running out of time. Campozzo scored seven straight points to draw Argentina within one again at 83-82. Trailing 85-82, Ginobli missed a three, Campazzo grabbed the offensive rebound and kicked it out to Nocioni, who calmly drained a triple with three seconds to play, tying the game at 85. Marcelo Huertas missed a final shot and the game was headed to overtime.
Brazil builds a late lead again, Argentina rallies again to force a second overtime
Again, Brazil got out to a lead, going up 94-88 with 2:54 to play. Argentina's defense clamped down and as Nocioni and Campazzo brought them back, it was the latter who tied the game at 95 with 38 seconds to play on a layup. Both teams missed final chances and this classic was headed to a second overtime.
This time, it was Argentina who started out brighter, Campazzo draining two long-range shots for a 101-95 lead. Stunned by what was going on around them, Brazil mounted one final rally, a Leandro Barbosa layup drew them to 103-100 with 2:10 to play. Barbosa would make two further shots and Brazil was within an eyelash 106-105 with just 1:08 to go. Ahead 109-105, Carlos Delfino missed the front ends of two one-and-ones, but Manu Ginobli grabbed the offensive rebound, was fouled, made both free throws and Argentina had escaped with a memorable 111-107 double overtime epic.