RIO DE JANEIRO -- Penny Taylor and her Australian teammates knew what was at stake.A win over France would put them in the drivers seat in Group A, meaning theyd potentially avoid playing the U.S. until the womens basketball gold medal game.Taylor helped them also get a measure of revenge in the process, scoring an Olympic career-high 31 points to help Australia beat France 89-71 on Tuesday.Its huge, Taylor said. We dont want to face the U.S. until we have to, so I think thats huge for us.This will be Taylors last shot at beating the U.S., and she would like that opportunity in meeting between the top teams in the gold medal game. The 35-year-old guard told The Associated Press before the Olympics started that she planned to retire at the end of the current WNBA season. Shes already has two silver medals at the Olympics and wants to go out with a gold.On Tuesday, she made her first seven shots and had scored 23 points before missing her first field goal attempt. She finished 10 of 13 from the field with nine assists and five rebounds.That was vintage Penny, Australian coach Brendan Joyce said. She was great and really lifted us.All that stands between Australia (3-0) and winning the group is Japan. Those teams play Thursday and a win by the Australians would clinch the No. 1 seed in its pool and avoid a matchup with the U.S. until the finals. The Australians respect the Americans but arent intimidated by the U.S., which has won the last five Olympic gold medals and a roster of WNBA All-Stars and MVPs.The heavily favored Americans have captured the headlines, but the venerable Opals continue to win .They have their own 6-foot-8 center in Liz Cambage, who has been dominant so far in the Olympics when she can stay out of foul trouble. They also have a few WNBA stars of their own in Taylor and Erin Phillips.We know what we will face if we play them eventually, Joyce said. We have a long tough road still before that happens and well worry about them when we face them.The road did get a little easier with the win over France. The Opals lost to the French in overtime in the London Games in 2012, costing them the top spot in the group. It was Australias only loss to a team other than the U.S. in the Olympics since 1996. Australia ended up with a bronze medal in London.We dont want to drop any pool round games, said Phillips, who scored nine points in Tuesdays win. Good thing about this team is we never get too high on a win or low on a loss. This win against France by 18 was huge. If you had told me this morning when I woke up and said we would beat France by 18, Id be really, really happy.Both Taylor and Phillips missed the 2012 Olympics. Taylor was out with a torn ACL and Phillips didnt make the team. They are both cherishing their Olympic experience.Its been amazing, gone really fast. I try to soak it up as much as I can when Im not playing, the 31-year-old Phillips said. In the dining hall you see Usain Bolt and some gymnasts who are the best in the world, its inspiring.You never really know what an Olympics mean until you miss one. Penny and I missed one for different reasons. To be back here makes it so much more memorable.---Follow Doug on Twitter at [url]http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinbergElgton Jenkins Super Bowl Jersey[/url] .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. Preston Smith Super Bowl Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Reggie-White-Packers-Jersey/ . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe. Josh Jackson Super Bowl Jersey . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Marcedes Lewis Super Bowl Jersey . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record.TAMPA, Fla. -- Theres unfinished business on Lavonte Davids agenda.The budding young Tampa Bay star has spent the past four years establishing himself as one of the top outside linebackers in the NFL, but what he hasnt been able to do is help the Buccaneers end a long postseason drought.The Bucs have a 19-45 record since David joined the team as a second-round draft pick in 2012, extending a streak of consecutive seasons without a playoff berth to eight.The 26-year-old, whos built a reputation as a sure-tackler with a penchant for causing turnovers, feels good about the chances of changing that pattern this season.He and Gerald McCoy not only like the new system being installed by Mike Smith, the clubs third defensive coordinator in Davids five seasons, but are confident the Bucs have the personnel to make it work.Every year Ive been here we were always one piece away, one situation away to where we could turn a losing season to a winning season, David, a 2013 All-Pro selection who appeared in the Pro Bowl for the first time last season.Were tired of losing, David, who signed a five-year, $50.25 million contract in 2015, said, adding he and McCoy both are driven to enjoy more team success.Ive never seen somebody so angry (after a loss), and it shows the type of leader he is, David said.He puts everything on himself, puts everything on his shoulders. Me and him feel like we have to put it in our hands and change everything because we are kind of like the older guys on defense. Our main thing is just get everybody on board, and I feel like were doing that.Tampa Bay was 10th in total defense last season, with McCoy leading the team with 8 1/2 sacks and David finishing with a team-high 147 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.But despite ranking among the leaders in fewest yards allowed per game, the Bucs were 26th in points allowed and missed thhe playoffs with a 6-10 record that cost former coach Lovie Smith his job.ddddddddddddDirk Koetter, promoted from offensive coordinator, is the fourth coach the franchise has had since last appearing in the playoffs under Jon Gruden in 2007.David said the transition, with Koetter guiding the offense and former Atlanta coach Mike Smith taking over the defense, has been fairly smooth.Everybody is different, their own personality, the way they coach, and how they do different things and how they see things, David said.But the great thing about it is these coaches, they really like to interact with you, asking you what you see out there -- like whats wrong, what you dont like, what you do like, things like that -- and try to make you comfortable the best way they can, he added. Guys really appreciate and like that.With middle linebacker Kwon Alexander coming off a strong rookie season and veteran Daryl Smith joining the team in free agency, the Bucs feel much better about their linebackers as a group than entering training camp a year ago.David said players are more confident, too.Not just the old guys, but the younger guys, he said. Theyre getting real comfortable.But no ones more upbeat or optimistic than David.I think its just getting accustomed with everything all around, the linebacker said.As I go into my fifth year, Im getting comfortable with being in the NFL, taking over the role of being a leader, knowing how the guys look at me as a leader and stuff like that, David added.So I have to carry myself in a certain way. I noticed that if Im down, certain guys might be down. If Im up, everybodys up. I look at things like that, just try to stay positive as much as I can and keep my energy level high.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '