Team USA guard Jackie Young (L) drives to the net past Promise Amukamara of Nigeria during a Summer Olympics women’s basketball quarterfinal Wednesday in Paris. Photo by Richard Ellis/UPI
Aug. 7 (UPI) — Team USA thrived on interior physicality and a smothering defense, dominating Nigeria to advance to the semifinals of the Summer Olympics women’s basketball tournament Wednesday in Paris.
The Americans, who are on a 59-game win streak in Olympics play, outshot the Nigerians 54% to 41% and led by as many as 30 points in the 88-74 victory at Bercy Arena.
“We are just building off each game,” Team USA guard Jackie Young, who scored 15 points, told NBC. “We know what each other want to do now. The biggest thing is just playing out of our defense.”
Veteran center A’ja Wilson recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds in Team USA’s quarterfinal victory. Forward Breanna Stewart totaled 13 points and six rebounds.
The Americans will face Australia in a semifinal Friday on the same court in Paris, with the winner advancing to the gold medal game.
Team USA’s Breanna Stewart (L) and Jackie Young (R) defend Nigeria’s Ezinne Kalu during a Summer Olympics women’s basketball quarterfinal Wednesday in Paris. Photo by Richard Ellis/UPI
“We know what’s on the line,” Young said. “We just have to come out and execute, especially on the defensive end.”
Nigeria got off to a very poor start from 3-point range, making just 1 of 9 attempts from downtown after Wednesday’s opening whistle. Meanwhile, the Americans took the lead three different times over the first 4 minutes and never trailed.
Team USA’s Alyssa Thomas (C) jumps while being defended by Nigeria’s Elizabeth Balogun (L) and Murjanatu Musa during a Summer Olympics women’s basketball quarterfinal Wednesday in Paris. Photo by Richard Ellis/UPI
They outscored their foes 26-17 in the first quarter and 26-16 in the second for a 52-33 advantage at halftime. Eight players scored for Team USA over the first 10 minutes and all 12 Americans who entered the game recorded points.
Stewart scored all of her points in the first half. Wilson chipped in 10 over the first 20 minutes. The Americans scored the first 10 points of the third quarter and continued to hit shots from all over the floor, sealing the lopsided victory.
They ended the night with a 44-28 rebounding margin. They also totaled 31 assists, compared to 17 for Nigeria. The Americans also outscored their foes 33-9 in bench points and 44-28 in points in the paint.
Australia also advanced to the semifinals with an 85-67 victory over Serbia on Wednesday in Paris. Belgium and France advanced with respective quarterfinal victories over Spain and Germany.
The Australians will take on the Americans at 3 p.m. EDT Friday in Paris. The winner of that matchup will battle France or Belgium in the gold medal game at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Bercy Arena.
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Publish date : 2024-08-07 06:35:00
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