RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Spain got its first victory of the Olympics, and almost nobody saw the beginning of it.
The men's basketball silver medalists in the last two Olympics held off Nigeria 96-87 Thursday night in a game that started in a nearly entirely empty arena while police exploded a suspicious backpack.
The public address announcer welcomed fans, players were introduced and national anthems were played, a standard pregame scene except for people in the seats.
"We thought, I guess nobody came to watch the game," Pau Gasol said.
They had come, but couldn't get in.