HOUSTON—

Amid concerns about health, security and logistical problems at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, the U.S. basketball players are staying afloat — literally.

Both the men's and women's teams are living aboard a cruise ship during the games: the nine-deck, 196-cabin Silver Cloud.

But the players have other challenges to focus on.

At their last practice session on U.S. soil before going to Rio, the women's team huddled around Jerry Colangelo, managing director of USA Basketball, who told them they had a "target" on their backs in terms of the competition. The United States has won five consecutive gold medals in women's basketball and hasn't lost a single game since the 1992 Olympics.

The players seemed to understand the nature of the competition. Some of them spoke to VOA about how they have mentally prepared themselves for the competition.