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For all the talk about the NBA-laden squad Australia has sent to Rio, its the quality and not the quantity that will be tested by a star-powered France.The Boomers will run out a record five players currently on NBA rosters in their Olympic opener on Saturday, an astonishing figure considering the absence of recent first round NBA draft picks - Ben Simmons, Dante Exum and Thon Maker.France will have just four current NBA players in Saturdays match (0315 Sunday AEST) - but its a foursome to behold.The recently traded Andrew Bogut is the only Boomer considered a regular starter in the NBA, while France are led by six-time All-Star Tony Parker.Nicholas Batum has been a starter throughout his eight-year career, Utahs starting centre Rudy Gobert is considered one of the NBAs hottest young centres and 15-year veteran Boris Diaw has been a key cog off the bench in the San Antonio machine.When the scouting report comes across the table theres going to be a lot of names we recognise both playing in Europe and the NBA,Boomers back-up guard Damian Martin said. Of most intrigue is the one-on-one battle between Spurs teammates Parker and Mills - the master up against the apprentice.In their time together in San Antonio, Mills has gone from bit-part player to virtually the first person off the Spurs bench.Pattys the first to admit hes learned a lot from playing alongside Tony over the past five or six years at San Antonio, Martin said.Hes excited for the match-up, but he knows the games much bigger than one match-up.But from an outsiders point of view its going to be great viewing seeing.Australias womens team face an easier time of it on paper against hosts Brazil at 5:30pm on Saturday (0630 AEST Sunday).While the world No.2 Opals are favoured to top Group A, their games against Brazil and Turkey shape as the ideal warm-up for Tuesdays clash against France. Dave Niehaus Jersey . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Nelson Cruz Mariners Jersey .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. https://www.cheapmariners.com/1335k-shed-long-jersey-mariners.html . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL. Gorman Thomas Mariners Jersey . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Tino Martinez Mariners Jersey .Y. -- Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Wednesday that J. AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas coach Charlie Strong took over his defense to get things fixed and save the season.He designed new coverages. He tried different ways to get pressure on the opposing quarterback. None of it worked.Strongs gamble on himself failed and the Longhorns have lost three straight, including an 0-2 start in the Big 12. Strong is facing open speculation that hell be out of a job after the season if he doesnt pull off a miracle run to the end of the season.So now what?With seven games left and a home game Saturday night against Iowa State (1-5, 0-3) Strong pleaded Monday for fans to not give up on his players.Weve been away for a month. We have seven games left. This is their football team, Strong said. You need support. You cant be fair-weather fans. Were not going to give up hope. We are going to continue to play hard, we will continue to fight .... I see what we have and know the direction its going.Strong, who is 13-17 in this third season, has no choice but to be the public optimist when everything about Texas is trending down.Even his efforts to shake up his defense fell painfully flat. The Longhorns (2-3, 0-2) surrendered nearly 700 yards in a 45-40 loss to Oklahoma with three touchdown plays of 47 yards or longer. Texas defensive backs were still getting beat on deep balls or missing tackles.Everything seems to work in practice, only to collapse at game time, Strong said.Everything is about fundamentals and technique. I told the guys its a simple game we make some complicated. We go out there and practice and knock every one of thhem down.dddddddddddd We cant complete one in practice, he said. You cant have mental lapses in big games.Senior safety Dylan Haines said Strong used last weeks practices to create some new coverage schemes and calls for rushing the passer. Haines did have Texas first two interceptions of the season but Texas rarely pressured Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, who wasnt sacked until late in the fourth quarter.Texas also got pushed around up front as Sooners running back Samaje Perine ran for 214 yards.Some guys kind of just get out there and bright lights kind of hit them and they lose focus, Haines said. Weve got a lot of young guys playing out there and thats going to happen. But for some of older guys, weve got to get that fixed. This cant be a continuing issue or those guys arent going to be playing anymore.Texas hasnt won a game or played at home since a Sept. 10 win over UTEP. That came on the heels of a thrilling double-overtime win over then-No. 10 Notre Dame that had college football thinking that Strong had Texas surging back among the nations elite.That Notre Dame win, Strong said Monday, now feels like three years ago.Strong was asked by reporters how hes handling the pressure to win among fading hopes.Im fine. As a competitor, you want more things to happen for you and its not happening, Strong said. All you can do is continue to coach, continue grind it out. Eventually its going to happen. Its going to turn. ' ' '