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 to extend their Olympic winning streak to 60 consecutive games dating back to the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Team USA, which will play France for the gold medal on Sunday, are 15.5-point favorites.
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“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,” Stewart said. “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.”
And the team didn’t disappoint some notable onlookers, including Sue Bird, Dawn Staley, Kevin Durant and Vanessa Bryant and her children.
The U.S. was able to take control of the game in the first half, allowing coach Cheryl Reeve the opportunity to play her starters limited minutes, give players on the bench more court time, so everyone will be fresh and mentally set for the gold medal game.
“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.
A win Sunday would be a record sixth gold medal for Diana Taurasi. A game after not starting for the first time since the 2004 Olympics, the Americans’ most decorated Olympic basketball player didn’t enter the game until 2:08 remained in the third quarter with the U.S. up 63-40. She missed her two shots, playing just a little over 6 minutes.
The U.S. jumped out to an early lead on Australia, but only were up 20-16 after the opening quarter. The Americans put the game away in the second quarter, starting the period with a 12-0 run. The U.S. led 45-27 at the half.
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.
There was no shortage of WNBA players on the court.
But while the American team features 12 WNBA All-Stars who have won multiple MVPs, the Australia roster is full of complimentary players in the 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’s 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, ’04 and ’08.
“We had to play a perfect game today. I always say you got to believe that you can” beat the U.S., Australia coach Sandy Brondello said. “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.”
The Australians also lost to the U.S. in the semifinals of the 1996 and 2012 Olympics.
“America, they’re the goats for a reason, you know?” said Australian Lauren Jackson, who has played in five of those losses. “They are full of superstars and I mean you look at the name on every single jersey out there and they are the best players in the world for a reason. They’re incredible.”
Jackson played 5 minutes after sitting out the last two games and didn’t score. The 43-year-old Jackson hasn’t contributed much in this Olympics, but the fact she’s still playing is a near miracle itself after she retired due to injuries in 2016.
Jackson made a return for the Opals at the 2022 World Cup, helping the team earn bronze there. Now she’ll hope that the team can get one more win Sunday to medal — something the Australians have done in each of the four other Olympics she’s competed in.
The U.S. 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. (Now) see if we can get the gold.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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