David Blatt, head coach of Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv and the Russian National Team, has led the
latter to their first Olympic medal after a dramatic and hard-fought victory over Argentina, 81 – 77.
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By Amy Samin
Historic achievement: Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv and Russian National Teal head coach David Blatt
has led the Russians to victory in the game for the bronze medal in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
They defeated a tough team from Argentina, which included such well-known players as Manu
Ginobili, Luis Scola and Carlos Delfino. It is the first Olympic medal won by the Russian basketball
team since the breakup of the Former Soviet Union.
Blatt and his team reached the bronze medal game after defeating European Champions Spain,
Olympic hosts Great Britain (for whom Pops Mensah-Bonsu plays), and Australia, and suffering a
non-vital loss to Brazil. The Russians defeated Lithuania in the quarterfinals, but were unable to
repeat their victory over Spain in the semi-finals.
Blatt, who has served as head coach of the Russian National Team since 2006, has led them to a
European Championship in 2007, to a seventh-place finish in the 2010 European Championships,
third place in the same competition in 2011, and now to a bronze medal in the Olympic Games of
2012. Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv congratulates Coach Blatt!
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