RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — "Go get him!"
Tom Thibodeau's booming, baritone voice knifed through the air inside sold out Carioca Arena on Saturday as the U.S. team dropped back to play defense early in its Olympic tournament opener against China.
"Stay home!" he barked. "Back, back!" ''Get up!" ''By yourself!"
Thibodeau didn't stop, and his commands could even be heard by fans sitting in top rows of the upper deck.
From the opening tip to the final horn in the 119-62 blowout, Thibodeau, a hard-driving, hoops lifer who prides himself on teaching the old-school way, screamed instructions at the American players.