US Women’s Basketball Shows Strength in Paris: Wins 102-76 Against Reigning Silver Medalists
On a day when Germany and France established themselves as medal contenders with resounding first-round victory, the United States women’s basketball team began its first game of the Paris Olympics hoping to send a message that it is still a class apart.
Mission accomplished.
It didn’t start as smoothly as head coach Cheryl Reeve had hoped, but Team USA eventually found its groove, defeating reigning silver medalist Japan 102-76 behind a dominant frontcourt effort from A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.
Japan rushed out, intending to outpace the United States and deteriorate the game into pandemonium. And it worked for a while: the Americans were too easily irritated, attempting to make the spectacular move rather than the basic one, and some scorching shooting from Mai Yamamoto kept Japan within five late in the second quarter.
However, the United States’ physical advantages were always clear, particularly down low against a tiny Japanese frontcourt, and once the sloppiness disappeared, the rout was complete.
“We always say the most physical team normally gets the win,” Wilson told the crowd. “So we had to come out and establish ourselves on the stage that we’re on, and I think we did a good job of that today.”
Team USA led 11 at halftime and then raced out to a 27-17 third-quarter lead to seal the victory. Wilson and Stewart simply had no answer: the two combined for 46 points, 14 rebounds, and seven blocks on 21-for-31 shooting, often just playing volleyball under the rim.
“It’s amazing to play with A’Ja,” Stewart added. “Her and I are just continuing to create this two-women tandem on the court: looking for each other, high-low, running the floor, and making it difficult for the other team.”
Chelsea Gray, a point guard, noticed the mismatch early and often, finishing with a game-best 13 assists. Kelsey Plum and Sabrina Ionescu were effective and aggressive in picking their spots, scoring a combined 22 points on 8 of 14 shooting.
When Was the Last Time the United States Women’s Basketball Team Lost at the Olympics?
The win on Monday extended the United States women’s Olympic winning run to 56 games, spanning the previous eight Games. The team’s last loss occurred in Barcelona in 1992, when they were defeated 79-73 by the Unified Team, relegating Team USA to a bronze medal – the last time they failed to win gold.
When Will the US Women’s Basketball Team Play Next?
The Americans’ next game is on Thursday, August 1, against a Belgian squad that was beaten by Germany earlier in the day but has one of the world’s top players in Emma Meesseman. Japan, meanwhile, will face Germany.