The stage was set. Yugoslavia had beaten Australia, while the USSR had won against the reigning champions team USA in the semi-finals.
The two final teams had already met in their very first match in the 1988 Summer Games. In that Group B match, the Yugoslavian team had won by 92 -- 79. But now the stakes were higher with the Seoul 1988 Olympic gold medal to be won.
Yugoslavia, led by Moscow 1980 Olympic gold medalist Drazen Petrovic, had an impressive start getting to a 24 - 12 lead before the end of the first half. However, The USSR weren't going to give away the gold medal that easily and, by half-time, had taken the lead in to their hands with a 31 -- 26 score.
Back in the game and ahead in the scoreboard, the Soviet team kept its cool in the second half. With Sharunas Marchulionis and Arvydas Sabonis scoring over 20 points each, the USSR maintained a minimum 9 points lead until the final 76 -- 63 score gave them their second Olympic gold medal.
