PARIS — Breanna Stewart and the U.S. women’s basketball team cruised to a familiar place: the Olympic gold-medal game.
Stewart led a balanced offense as the Americans beat Australia 85-64 on Friday in the semifinals at the Paris Games to extend their run of Olympic victories to 60 consecutive games, a winning streak that dates to the 1992 Barcelona Games.
“The streak is crazy. I mean, they just told me when I was doing TV that it was, like, before I was born that it kind of started, which is wild,” said Stewart, 29, who won gold three years ago in the Tokyo Games and at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
“It just goes to show those that have really paved the way and to create USA Basketball and what it is now. Tons of appreciation for that and knowing that when you represent this jersey and wear USA across your chest, the standard is high and there really is nothing higher.”
The current squad didn’t disappoint some notable onlookers, including former U.S. women’s team members Sue Bird, who owns five gold medals, Dawn Staley, who owns three, current U.S. men’s team member Kevin Durant, and late NBA star Kobe Bryant’s widow Vanessa, who was there with her children.
After the business-like semifinal win in which the United States started strong and never took its foot off the gas, the Americans will face France — which needed overtime to beat Belgium in Friday’s second semifinal — for the title on Sunday, the final event on the final day of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The U.S. is trying to become the first team in any sport to win eight consecutive Olympic gold medals, which would break a tie with the U.S. men’s basketball program that won seven in a row from 1936-68.
France and the U.S. are also in the gold-medal game for men’s basketball, which is set for Saturday.
In the Australia-U.S. women’s semifinal, the Americans took control in the first half, allowing coach Cheryl Reeve the opportunity to limit the minutes for her starters and give reserve players more court time, with the hope that everyone will be fresh and mentally set for the title showdown.
“The group that’s going to be out there is going to be a little more ready and rested to be able to give everything they had,” Reeve said.
U.S. guard Diana Taurasi, 42, is seeking her sixth gold medal, which would break the record for Olympic basketball she currently shares with Bird. A game after not starting in the Olympics for the first time since the 2004 Athens Games, the Americans’ most decorated player didn’t enter until 2:08 remained in the third quarter with the U.S. up 63-40 against Australia. Taurasi missed her two shots while playing a little more than six minutes.
The U.S. jumped out to an early lead on Australia, but the margin was just 20-16 after the opening quarter. The Americans put the game away in the second quarter, starting the period with a 12-0 run, and led 45-27 at halftime.
Jackie Young added 14 points, Kahleah Copper 11 and A’ja Wilson 10 for the Americans.
Isobel Borlase led Australia with 11, and Tess Madgen and Ezi Magbegor each had 10 for the Opals.
There was no shortage of WNBA players on the court, but while the American team features 12 WNBA All-Stars and multiple MVP winners, Australia’s roster is full of complementary players from that league. The Opals, who started five current WNBA players, just didn’t have enough offensive firepower to compete with the U.S. juggernaut.
In the end, the U.S. once again denied the Australians a chance at a gold medal in what has been a one-sided affair between the teams. The Opals have never beaten the U.S. in Olympic competition — losing in the gold medal game in 2000, 2004 and 2008, and the semifinals in 1996 and 2012 — and they’ll try to make sure they don’t leave Paris without some hardware when they take on upstart Belgium in the bronze-medal game Sunday.
“We had to play a perfect game today. I always say you’ve got to believe that you can,” Australia coach Sandy Brondello said regarding beating the Americans. “But nine times out of 10, there’s one game where you maybe can get them on a bad day. And it wasn’t our best day here.”
Australia post player Lauren Jackson, 43, has now been part of five Olympic losses to the Americans, said the U.S. roster is “full of superstars.”
“You look at the name on every single jersey out there, and they are the best players in the world for a reason,” said Jackson, who was the No. 1 pick of the 2001 WNBA draft. “They’re incredible.”
Jackson played five minutes after sitting out the previous two games and didn’t score. She hasn’t contributed much statistically in Paris, but the fact she’s still playing is all but a miracle after she retired due to injuries in 2016.
Jackson made a return for the Opals at the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Australia, helping the team earn bronze in Sydney. Australia has also medaled in the first four editions of the Olympics in which she took part, with Jackson looking to add a second bronze to her collection that includes a trio of silvers.
The U.S., of course, will be looking for another gold.
“I’m so proud of us,” Reeve said. “You know, the evolution that we’ve made as a team. And I’m excited that we’ve got … to the last stand, if you will, in this campaign.”
The final goal is obvious.
“See if we can get the gold,” Reeve said.
AP photo by Mark J. Terrill / France’s Iliana Rupert celebrates after making a 3-pointer against Belgium during overtime in a women’s basketball semifinal Friday at the Paris Olympics.France 82, Belgium 75 (OT)
Gabby Williams didn’t have the start she wanted for France. The former University of Connecticut star did show she knows how to finish.
“I just try to take a little bit more responsibilities at the end,” Williams said. “I was well rested.”
Williams scored nine of her 18 points in overtime as France beat neighbor Belgium to clinch an Olympic medal. To be determined is whether it’s gold or silver, with the next test expected to be the toughest yet.
France is in the Olympic final for the first time since taking silver at the 2012 London Games, with the U.S. winning 86-50 in the final. This time France will have home-court advantage against the Americans.
France is at least assured of improving on its bronze medal from three years ago in the Tokyo Games.
Dejected Belgian players sat on their bench for a couple minutes after the semifinal loss, stunned after having been up 46-31 in the third quarter. This was the first overtime game in the knockout rounds for Olympic women’s basketball since the 2000 bronze-medal game won by Brazil over South Korea.
“It wasn’t easy because of the crowds; it was really like they have a sixth man,” Belgian guard Julie Vanloo said.
France led 66-60 with 56 seconds left in regulation. Vanloo was fouled on a 3 and made all three free throws, then Emma Meesseman hit a tying 3 with 8.2 seconds left.
Belgium then caught a break. After leaving Valeriane Ayayi open for 3 from the left corner, the France forward’s shot clanked off the left rim. France couldn’t grab the rebound for another shot, sending the game into overtime.
Williams scored the first five points of the extra period, yet Belgium, in the Olympics in women’s basketball for just the second time, kept battling.
Meesseman scored inside to pull the Cats within 76-75 with 55.8 seconds left. Williams answered with a driving layup, then Vanloo’s 3 was well short. Williams added two of the final three free throws for France to seal the win and start the celebration.
Ayayi finished with 17 points, Iliana Rupert had 15 and Janelle Salaun 10 for France.
Meesseman finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds for Belgium, while Kyara Linskens added 15 points, Elise Ramette had 13 and Vanloo 11.