The South Dakota native scored eight straight points down the stretch to help Russia rally from double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter Saturday to beat Canada 58-53 on the opening day of women's basketball at the Olympics.

“You just keep playing and good things will happen,” said Hammon, who plays for the San Antonio Silver Stars. “Defensively we got a lot better in the fourth quarter. We got some deflections and were able to run.”

Hammon is playing in her second Olympics for Russia. She became a Russian naturalized citizen before the Beijing Games. Because she hadn't played for the United States in any major FIBA-sanctioned international events, she is allowed to compete for Russia in the Olympics.

Her patriotism was questioned in 2008 when she played with Russia, which won the bronze medal. Hammon's second Olympics isn't drawing as much attention.

She said there's not “so much hoopla around me and everyone's kind of settled in. Other girls are playing for other teams, so it's not so much focused on me.”

The 5-foot-6 Hammon came up big for Russia against Canada.