Paris 2024 Olympics: US Women’s Basketball Team Triumph Over Japan; Nigeria Shocks Australia
Paris Olympics 2024 Updates: With a score of 102-76, the U.S. women’s basketball team defeated Japan in an exciting opening round match at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
With 24 points from A’ja Wilson and 22 from Breanna Stewart, the Americans took the lead and won the gold medal in the Olympics for the eighth time in a row. Their remarkable 56-game winning streak at the Olympics, which started at the 1992 Barcelona Games, is extended with this triumph.
Since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the United States of America has won 56 straight Olympic games.
Three years ago, during the Tokyo Games gold medal match between the two teams, the last of those victories until Monday also occurred happened against Japan. With a final score of 90-75, the United States won its sixth consecutive gold medal.
In an attempt to keep the game close, Japan, which was significantly outmatched by the United States, adopted its fast-paced style of making 3-pointers off drives to the basket.
It was successful for roughly 17 minutes, as with 3:01 remaining in the half, Japan’s deficit was only 37–32. Then, before the half, the United States scored 13 of the last 19 points, highlighted by a Wilson three-pointer with 8.2 seconds remaining to give them a double-digit lead.
The third quarter saw the Americans put the game away. They play Belgium on Thursday. The U.S. was off and running after Chelsea Gray found Wilson with several clever passes that led to simple touchdowns. Japan never presented a threat.
After being sentenced to nine years in prison for drug use and smuggling in 2022, Brittney Griner played her first game outside of her home country.
With 30 points, Griner had a big impact in the 2021 gold medal game. It was the highest point total ever scored by an American athlete competing for a gold medal.
Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Wembanyama Leads France to Victory – Antetokounmpo’s Greece Falls to Canada
On Monday, she had nine rebounds and eleven points. Wilson scored thirteen points, giving the Americans a commanding 56-27 lead in the paint. For the Americans, Sabrina Ionescu and Kelsey Plum each scored 11 points.
After a frightening collision with Rui Machida on Japan in the second quarter, Kahleah Copper of the United States got up, walked off, and held Rui Machida’s side. When she came back in the fourth quarter, she appeared fine.
Nigeria won its first gold medal in women’s basketball at the Olympics since 2004 when Ezinne Kalu made her first four 3-pointers and scored 17 of her 19 points in the first half on Monday, defeating Australia 75-62 in their opening group play match.
Nigeria lost in Tokyo and was not able to advance to the Rio Olympics in 2016. Australia, coached by Sandy Brondello of the New York Liberty WNBA, is ranked third globally, while Nigeria is placed twelveth.
As promised Amukamara led Nigeria with 14 points. Amy Okonkwo ended with a score of 13, while Murjanatu Musa had an 11.
