Louisiana Olympians

• Advocate news services
• Published: Aug 21, 2008 - UPDATED: 3:45 pm

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BEIJING — First, Louisiana natives Danielle Scott-Arruda and Kim Willoughby helped the U.S. women’s indoor volleyball advance to an Olympic final for the first time in 24 years early Thursday morning.

Hours later, former LSU stars Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus helped put the U.S. women’s basketball team in its Olympic final.

Both teams now compete for gold medals early Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, former LSU track star Muna Lee posted a personal best of 22.01 in the final of the women’s 200-meter dash, finishing fourth, one spot out of the medals.

Another ex-LSU track star, sprinter Richard Thompson, the silver medalist in the men’s 100 meters, anchored Trinidad and Tobago’s 400 relay that posted the top qualifying time of 38.26 seconds.

The fourth-ranked U.S. volleyball team will take on No. 1 Brazil in its gold medal match at 7 a.m. Saturday. The U.S. women’s basketball team faces Australia in its gold-medal contest at 9 a.m.

The U.S. volleyball team upset No. 2 Italy in the quarterfinals and then ousted No. 3 Cuba, 3-0, in the semifinals completed early Thursday morning. It will be the first final appearance for the U.S. since 1984. The American team last earned a medal in 1992, claiming the bronze that year.

Willougby, the former Assumption High standout and Napoleonville native, had kills to record two of the final three points in the 25-20, 25-16, 25-17 win late Thursday.

Baton Rouge’s Scott-Arruda, an ex-Woodlawn High standout and a four-time Olympian, scored nine points and had six kills in 10 attempts to go along with two service aces. Willoughby came off the bench to notch six kills on nine attempts.

The U.S. women’s basketball team trailed by as much as seven points in the first half before rallying to claim a 67-52 win over Russia.

Diana Taurasi led the U.S. team with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Tina Thompson added 15 points.

Fowles contributed eight points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Augustus, a former Capitol High standout, added four points and two rebounds.