VILLENEVE-D’ASCQ, France — The United States romped to a resounding 102-76 victory over Japan in the women’s basketball tournament at the Pierre Mauroy stadium on Monday, demonstrating that the defending champions are positioned to make a strong push for their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal.
In their Group C opener, the Americans took to the court with all the firepower of Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson under the leadership of captain Diana Taurasi, who is making her sixth Games appearance in Paris.
Wilson led Team USA with 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting, 13 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. Stewart had 22 points (11-of-15 shooting), eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
The Americans led by just 11 at halftime as Japan made nine of its 15 3-pointers during the first half. But a 29-18 third quarter in favor of the U.S. put the game out of reach.
Three players finished with 11 points off the bench for Team USA: Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu and Kelsey Plum. Griner added nine rebounds in just 16 minutes of work in her first Olympic appearance since being detained in a Russian jail for 10 months in 2022.
Maki Takada had 24 points off the bench on 10-for-11 shooting to guide Japan. Mai Yamamoto tallied 17 points with five 3-pointers and five assists. Saori Mayazaki scored 12 points.
Team USA’s next game in Group C comes Thursday against Belgium, before the group-stage finale Sunday against Germany.
On a day of surprises, favored Belgium got their Olympic bid off to a bad start, losing 83-69 to debutantes Germany in Group C.
Belgium was partly undone by Germany’s dynamic Sabally sisters, Satou and Nyara, who poured in 33 points between them.
Hosts France pulled off a major upset in Group B, after overcoming a first-quarter deficit to beat Canada 75-54.
Fifth-ranked Canada withered under a rally by the seventh-ranked hosts, scoring just two points in the second quarter — the fewest points ever scored by any team in a single quarter at the Olympics, men or women.
French center Marieme Badiane and forward Gabby Williams were the heroes of the “allez les bleues” evening, with the pair receiving a rousing post-match ovation and posing for selfies with the crowd.
The second shock of the Group B came when Nigeria beat Australia 75-62 as point guard Ezinne Kalu scored 19 points to help 12th-ranked Nigeria, the three-times defending African champions, beat third-ranked Australia.
“Our defense were relentless,” Kalu said.
“When we were on court, we smelt blood for the ball. Nobody defends like us, and that’s what kept us going,” she said, adding, “second half Australia came out very strong… But we just kept our foot on the gas and kept going.”
–Field Level Media (Reuters contributed to this report)
