RIO DE JANEIRO -- Australia always had the belief, and have now convinced the mighty United States they can win a historic Olympic mens basketball medal in Rio.The Boomers nearly became the first team to knock off the world No.1 side at a Games since 2004 on Wednesday night (Thursday morning AEDT).Thats if it wasnt for Carmelo Anthony and his record 31 points.A masterclass late in the fourth quarter from the Americans most experienced player turned a two-point deficit into a scarily close 98-88 victory for the U.S. - their 18th straight at an Olympics.While the United States put China and Venezuela away with ease, Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova made them work hard for the win.The Australians, who earlier toppled top-six nations France and Serbia, led for large periods of the game and did not trail by more than eight points until the dying seconds.Mills finished with 30 points and Bogut added 15 points, while Dellavedova had 11 points plus 11 assists and six rebounds.That was the first real international game weve had, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said.Australia have probably played the best of anybody in the Olympics.They just play lights-out basketball.Theyre going to vie for a gold medal.Winning gold - not just a maiden medal - was a goal they set after qualifying for the Rio Games last year.I know many have laughed at us along the way, but perhaps tonights performance will help some others believe it, Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis said.Kevin Durant believes it, predicting Australia will go pretty far this tournament after what he came up against.But Bogut, despite being surprised by his own performance in just his third game back from a knee injury, wasnt all smiles.Were disappointed, he said.We lost. Were not going to take small moral victories.Theyre the best team in the world, we battled them and we thought we shouldve been in a position to try and grind out a closer game.In the past, you get within 10 or 15 and you get a birthday cake in the locker-room and everyone thinks its the best day ever.We have a different mindset this Olympics and hopefully we can keep that grit and determination.Having been drawn in the same group for Rio, the two teams wont be able to meet again until the gold medal match should they finish in the top two.The Boomers next play China, while the U.S. face Serbia.Anthony overtook LeBron James as the Americans alltime leading scorer midway through the match. Clay Matthews Youth Jersey . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. Eric Dickerson Rams Jersey .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/orlando-pace-jersey/ . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. Cooper Kupp Womens Jersey . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Andrew Whitworth Womens Jersey . The formidable trio of Canadian receivers -- individually known as Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg and Andy Fantuz -- will share the field at Mosaic Stadium one more time on Sunday. I always thought it would be so much fun to write a book. Certainly not a Hey, check out this white girl from suburban America. (That sound you hear is my snoring). And definitely not an Xs and Os sporty book. Nope. The book I have always wanted to write is about owning your awesome, raising your hand, getting on the dance floor, shimmying out of your comfort zone, being comfortable with uncomfortable, dreaming out loud, ... (you get it). It is about CHOOSING TO MATTER.Because this I know: Life doesnt just happen. You happen to life. YOU decide how you want to write your story. YOU. This book is for the teenager starting her journey or the woman at a critical fork in her journey. It is for every person, wherever you may be on your path, who needs a little nudge. Who needs a little motivation... to be courageously you.For too long I equated leadership with a position. I thought leaders were presidents or politicians or celebrities or four-star generals with a horse and sword. I thought you had to be in a position to impact lots and lots of people (someone I certainly was not), to lead.But what I discovered -- in large part thanks to the amazing women I played alongside -- is just how broad the definition of leadership is. Leadership is loud. It is quiet. It is thoughtful and emotional and cerebral and nerdy and goofy and joyful and motivating. Leadership is calm in the chaos. It is standards. It is believing when others dont. It is celebrating others. It is empowering others. It is all those things and so much more. Most important, leadership is personal, not positional.The hardest part is just summoning the courage to choose to lead, to raise your hand.dddddddddddd To own that awesome. It is not a question of IF you will be a leader, but HOW. The key is being authentically you -- a leader others will want to follow because you are genuine. It is your style.And if you dont believe me, well, I summoned 10 amazing women to come share their stories about how they unleashed their inner leader. We chat with our feet up, shoes off. #Socktalks we call them (not a scratch and sniff book thankfully). I spoke with:Good Morning America host Robin RobertsSoccer superstars Mia Hamm and Alex MorganFacebook super woman and Leanin.org founder, Sheryl SandbergAward-winning teenage Irish scientist and philanthropist, Sophie Healy-Thow17-time Paralympic medalist (yes, 17) Tatyana McFaddenSoftball star and television trailblazer, Jessica Mendoza11-time NCAA Championship coaching legend, Sue EnquistPurveyor of positivity, born with cerebral palsy, Amy LissBeautifully inspirational teenager from Afghanistan, Fahima NooriMy hope is this book serves as a roadmap (full of fun exercises, quick activities, and journaling) to help you unlock your potential. There is a method to the madness, or at least I like to pretend there is. We tell stories, share lessons, pass on wisdom.My goal in all of this is to make you laugh, make you think, make you eat more donuts, and make you excited to embrace life. And most importantly, to share that new, fabulous you with the world by passing on leadership. By empowering others.And heres the really cool thing: You can. So why not #choosetomatter? ' ' '