The Miracle on Ice: The Greatest Upset in Olympic Basketball History

It was the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, and the United States men's hockey team was facing the heavily favored Soviet Union team in the semifinals. The Soviet team was filled with seasoned veterans who were expected to breeze past the young, inexperienced American squad. But what ensued was something that would go down in history as one of the greatest upsets in sports history - the Miracle on Ice.

The game started off with the Soviets dominating possession and outshooting the Americans. However, it was the go-ahead goal by Mark Johnson in the first period that gave the US team the confidence it needed. The Americans played a high-pressure game and put the Soviets on their heels. Goalie Jim Craig made several miraculous saves in the third period, and a late empty-net goal sealed the deal for the US team, who won the game 4-3.

The Miracle on Ice was not just a hockey game, it was a symbol of American resilience and a victory against all odds. The US went on to win the gold medal in the final against Finland, but it was that semifinal game against the Soviet Union that will be remembered as the greatest upset in Olympic basketball history.