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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Ever since rugby was approved for the Olympic sports program in Rio, Fijians have believed their sevens team will win their first ever medal at the Summer Games.It just might not be the team they expected.The Fiji womens team, unsung and largely overshadowed by the world series champion mens team, produced the only upset on day one at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics to be on the verge of making the quarterfinals.Fijiana, as the team is known, upended the United States 12-7 in their opening game. And even though they were then smashed by gold medal-favorite Australia 36-0, they should beat winless Colombia on Sunday to secure a playoff spot.We wont talk too much about (a medal), but thats obviously deep inside and, if we can achieve that for Fiji, well be stoked, said forward Rebecca Tavo, a former Australia captain who switched to Fiji last year to help them qualify for Rio.Fijiana barely rated a mention before the Olympic tournament, understandable after fading to eighth place following a promising start to the womens world sevens series.But back home, they got fitter and better by combining their camp with the mens team, winner of the last two world series. Inspired and motivated by the men, the women changed their diet and training plans. Out went carbohydrates and fatty, local staples such as cassava and dalo, and in came lean meats and salads. Add that to running up and down the Sigatoka sand dunes, and you could see the girls bodies changed a lot, Tavo said.Having upgraded their fitness, they fine-tuned for the Olympics together with the mens squad again in Santiago, Chile, where many of the women touched snow for the first time, during a bus trip up the Andes.Our preparation was a dream, Tavo said.The Fijians turned their opening match into a nightmare for the Americans, who had won seven of their nine previous matchups. Watched by IOC president Thomas Bach, a guest of World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont, and in balmy 33-degree (90 F) temperatures, Luisa Tisolo pulled off a show-and-go and Fiji led 7-0 at halftime.A turnover from a big tackle saw Timaima Ravisa sprint clear for 12-0. The U.S. cut the gap to five with four minutes to go, but Fijianas tackling was fierce, and one last hit by Lavenia Tinai snuffed out the American comeback.One of our hallmarks is our aggression, Tavo said. You can tell our girls, `Fijianas, have no fear.Chris Cracknell, the former England captain who became Fijis womens coach a year ago, saw good and bad in the game.They can emulate what the boys do, in their own right they can do some spectacular things, Cracknell said. Defensively, when were abrasive, we get ourselves into the game, but we let the U.S. back into it. We started chasing tackles because we were enjoying it so much.Their success will boost efforts in Fiji to attract more female players. Already, World Rugbys Get Into Rugby program, plus the Pacific in Union venture, a partnership between Oceania Rugby, the Australian Rugby Union and the Australian government, have drawn about 20,000 players each, but theres plenty of room for more growth, Fiji Rugby Union womens development officer Vela Naucukidi told the Fiji Sun.The FRU is also researching through the University of the South Pacific the barriers and motivations for women playing rugby in Fijis male-dominated society. They have already learned female rugby players are seen as smart, confident, and brave, but elders are worried about the safety and well-being of girls.Fijiana are trailblazers, FRU development manager Sale Sorovaki told the Fiji Sun. They started playing rugby when not many other women did, and they made their way to compete in the Olympics. We honor their effort and we want to make it much easier for the next group of women who are coming through.Thanks to qualifying for the Olympics last November, the Fiji womens squad became contracted in March to the FRU for the first time. Five of this team have been playing rugby for less than a year.Theyre pretty amazing, just the connection they have, U.S. forward Kathryn Johnson said. Theyre really wonderful girls as it is, on and off the field. Its fun just to be on the field with them. Jeremy Hellickson Jersey . 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PHILADELPHIA -- Orlando Magic coach Frank Vogel had a simple trick to help his team get over a brutal loss in Memphis the previous night.I let them sleep in, Vogel said.Aaron Gordon scored a season-high 20 points, Nikola Vucevic had 12 points, 11 rebounds and five assists and the Magic awoke from its slumber to cruise by the Philadelphia 76ers 105-88 in a matchup of slumping Eastern Conference teams Friday night.Serge Ibaka, Evan Fournier and Jeff Green all added 16 points for the Magic (8-12), who had lost five of six coming in, including a one-point loss to the Grizzlies on Thursday in which they blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead.I thought we played well last night and we just didnt close the game out, Vogel said. Were continuing to show we have one of the top defenses in the league. Were going to be a great defensive team and were going to score enough to win.Bismack Biyombo had 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who shot 50 percent from 3-point range and 47.4 percent from the field.The Sixers (4-15) lost their fifth straight despite 25 points and 10 rebounds from rookie Joel Embiid. It was his fifth double-double of the season.Jahlil Okafor, who saw extended action with Embiid for the first time this season, also had a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.Nobody else scored in double figures for the Sixers, who shot 37.9 percent from the field. They missed 20 of their 26 shot attempts in the first quarter and allowed the Magic to go on an early 16-0 run to fall behind for good.Sometimes you read so much into back-to-backs, Sixers coach Brett Brown said. You assume people are tired or depressed because they lost at the buzzer. I give them credit. They came in and played with great energy. I dont know how to explain that.The game was the first for the rested Sixers in four days after Wednesdays scheduled matchup against the Sacramento Kings was postponed because of moisture on the Wells Fargo Center court.TIP-INSMagic: Orlando was back in the same building where it overcame an 18-point deficit in a 103-101 win over the Sixers a little more than a month ago. The Magic have won four straight vs. Philly. ... The Magic havee two games left of a five-game trip.dddddddddddd.76ers: Robert Covington left in the fourth quarter with a left knee sprain after logging nine points and six rebounds. ... PG Jerryd Bayless missed his third straight game with left wrist soreness after previously sitting out the first 13 games.THE EMBIID-OKAFOR EXPERIMENTEmbiid and Okafor looked sharp when paired together as the crowd roared in delight watching the two cornerstones of the franchises rebuilding effort. In the second quarter, Embiid hit a 3-pointer, fed Okafor for a basket and then hit a jumper to pull the Sixers within 23-21.During their second stint together in the fourth quarter, the two centers produced 12 of the teams 19 points while combining to shoot 5 for 5 from the field in just over 7 minutes.I thought we had our moments, said Embiid, who had his minutes restriction increased from 24 to 28 two days after being named the NBAs Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November. We made shots. Obviously we need to play more together.MEEKS BIG RETURNMagic guard Jodie Meeks made his season debut after a foot injury held him out for the first 19 games. He finished with 10 points and three steals in 17 minutes, while shooting 2 for 3 from 3-point range.Vogel didnt think it was a coincidence that the sharpshooters return coincided with Orlandos best shooting night of the season.Its contagious, I guess, Vogel said. It was good to see him back out there. He was a little rusty in certain areas but thats to be expected. But he looked a lot less rusty than I thought he would.CLUTCH SHOOTING (AND PASSING)The Magic put the game away in the third quarter thanks to consecutive 3s from D.J. Augustin followed by one from Gordon -- shots Vogel called pivotal.Gordon, who shot 9 for 14 from the field and 2 for 4 from 3-point range, credited the teams passing for all of the baskets.I think our passing was very good tonight, he said. We were on time and on target.UP NEXTMagic: At Detroit on Sunday night.76ers: Host Boston on Saturday night. ' ' '