PARIS (France) - Unstoppable USA continue to hit the heights at the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024 after another sensational performance and 85-64 win against Australia saw them stroll into Sunday's title game.
The reigning champions will wait to see if they will matchup against host nation France or history-makers Belgium in the showpiece Final, while Australia will set their sights on bronze.
Turning point
Australia competed well in the opening 10 minutes despite a slow start. However, USA opened up the second period with a 12-0 run and that snapped the contest wide open and gave USA the launch pad for victory.
Game heroes
Some things don't change and it was the Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson show again for the favorites - supported by a nice cameo from Jackie Young who has really been rising up in past games.
Stewart finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, while Wilson accumulated 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 big blocks. Young shone brightly with 14 points and 5 assists.
Stats don't lie
Take your pick, since the USA were dominant. However, it was the combination of transition and 26 points on the fast break, along with nice perimeter shooting of 41% that made USA tough to live with.
Bottom Line
Copy and paste! Yes, USA were too talented and deep for Australia as has been the case for every opponent in the 6 games they have played so far in the competition. They barely needed to get of first gear in this particular game. Dominant inside and out, they cruised to the win and showed it will take something spectacular to stop them getting gold yet again!
Australia did well in the opening quarter, but will be disappointed with how quickly the wheels came off in the second period. Not least, the way they were dominated physically as the Opals are not a small team. The good thing is that Sandy Brondello and her team can still finish on a huge high by winning the bronze medal game.
They said
"In each game we have to move up in our intensity and every day the coach is challenging us in practice to increase the level more and more and to be really locked in. It's all about peaking at the right time.
"A lot of people look at the games and they look at the scores and they think it is not hard for us, but it is. We are getting everybody's best shot. It's just when we are locked in like this, we're really good and we're really efficient. [Winning gold] That would be a really special moment for me and for my family. It's a moment that I hope we get." USA center, Brittney Griner.
"We know we can deal with physicality and if we want to get back onto the podium [with a bronze] then we are going to have to. We have some players where this is most likely going to be their last Olympics. We have got older players that have really led us well throughout the years and it would be great to go out on a high for them and to finish with a bronze medal.
"We will obviously speak about that - knowing that we got this far and we still have an opportunity. Hopefully this will give us the energy we need to get over this last game and to achieve our goal of winning a medal." Opals' head coach, Sandy Brondello.
Quick notes
- The USA have qualified for their eighth straight gold medal game at the Olympics; they have grabbed their 60th consecutive win at the Olympics
- The USA have won their ninth game against Australia, more than against any other team at the Olympics; six of those victories were by more than 20 points.
- The USA tallied 31 assists in today’s game – this is their third game with 30+ assists in Paris 2024, a joint-high for any team in a single Olympic tournament: the USA, also three such games in Rio de Janeiro 2016. - Breanna Stewart ended the game with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists, with this being her fourth game with 15+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists at the Olympics: only Janeth Arcain has had more such games than her in the competition (six, Emma Meesseman also four). - Lauren Jackson (Australia) and Diana Taurasi (USA) have played their fifth and sixth semi-finals, respectively, more than any other player ever in the history of the Olympics.
FIBA