Powered by Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson, a traditionally dominant U.S. girls’s basketball program blew out Japan, 102-76, to win their first pool recreation of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Group USA famously hasn’t misplaced an Olympic recreation since 1992, and didn’t seem any much less invincible on this one, main handily from the bounce regardless of some uncharacteristic capturing struggles.
Monday’s recreation was a rematch of the Tokyo Olympics Finals, when USA Basketball defeated Japan 90-75 within the gold medal recreation, led by 30 factors from Brittney Griner and 19 from A’ja Wilson.
Three years later, the scale disparity nonetheless proved insurmountable for Japan, one of many extra undersized groups within the match. Group USA has 4 gamers who’re 6’2 or taller: Alyssa Thomas (6’2), A’ja Wilson (6’3), Breanna Stewart (6’3), and Brittney Griner (6’8). Nobody on Japan’s roster is taller than 6’1, and it confirmed, with the U.S. continuously getting a number of offensive alternatives and capturing over smaller defenders.
Early on, Japan’s scorching three-point capturing stored them in it, however the U.S. put up gamers — who’re a number of the most dominant within the historical past of the ladies’s recreation — finally blew the sport open and ensured the commanding victory.
Right here’s 5 issues it’s essential to know from America’s opening Olympic recreation.
A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart had been unstoppable
From the bounce, Japan had no reply for Group USA’s dynamic put up participant duo, Wilson and Stewart, who mixed for 46 factors and 21 rebounds.
Wilson, final yr’s Finals MVP, received issues going with 10 factors within the first quarter, and finally completed the night time with 24 factors on 10-16 capturing, 13 rebounds (6 offensive) and 4 blocks.
Stewart added 22 factors (11-15 FG), 8 rebounds, and three assists, and completed with a game-high plus-minus of +30. Stewart, a two-time MVP and two-time WNBA champion, was significantly efficient when sharing the entrance court docket with Wilson, and constantly exploited mismatches she’ll seemingly be capable of capitalize on for the remainder of the match.
Brittney Griner, returning to worldwide play for the primary time since her 10-month detainment in Russia, was no slouch off the bench, including 11 factors on 5-7 capturing and 9 rebounds in quarter-hour.
Rebounding disparity was the important thing issue within the match-up — USA completed with greater than twice as many boards as Japan, finally holding a 56-27 benefit on the glass. That allowed them to remain forward even when photographs weren’t falling within the first half.
Monday was not the primary time this measurement disparity between the 2 groups has been exploited. Within the gold medal recreation in Tokyo, Griner — one of many tallest gamers on the earth — exploded for 30 factors in opposition to Japan to safe the victory.
All twelve U.S. gamers performed and contributed
It was an all-around rout by Group USA, as all 12 members of the roster performed at the least six minutes — and each single participant scored.
Diana Taurasi, Chelsea Grey, Napheesa Collier, Stewart and Wilson rounded out the beginning lineup — a veteran group with vital Olympic expertise. Kelsey Plum and Sabrina Ionescu every scored 11 factors off the bench, whereas Jackie Younger added 7.
Chelsea Grey — the Level Gawd — shines
She may simply be the very best level guard on the earth. Chelsea Grey missed the primary 12 video games of the WNBA season recovering from a foot fracture she suffered within the Finals, and the Aces had been a .500 staff with out her. However because the 2021 Finals MVP retuned to the lineup, Las Vegas has gained 10 of its final 12 video games, and on Monday in opposition to Japan, she confirmed the world why.
Grey completed with 13 assists in simply 20 minutes of motion, 11 of which got here within the first half, continuously discovering a reducing Wilson or Stewart to the basket.
It actually doesn’t harm that three of her Olympic teammates (Jackie Younger, A’ja Wilson, and Kelsey Plum) are additionally her Aces teammates with whom she’s gained three championships.
Passing normally was off the charts on this one — the U.S. completed with 35 assists on 42 made area targets, routinely getting open layups simply as they did within the exhibition matchup in opposition to Germany.
Three-pointers stored Japan within the recreation — at the least early on
Japan hit 9 three-pointers within the first half and completed the sport capturing 15-39 from three. Mai Yamamoto (17 factors) and Maki Takada (24 factors) led the best way for Japan, whereas Saori Miyazaki added 12 factors off the bench.
For a lot of the primary half, Japan was in a position to hold the sport inside single digits due to the recent capturing. That’ll be key for them transferring ahead as they proceed pool play.
Sabrina Ionescu gives a late-game spark
The Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu was one of many final three gamers within the rotation — together with Kahleah Copper and Jackie Younger — however she made her mark as soon as she received the prospect.
She completed the sport with 11 factors, 5 assists, and three rebounds in 19 minutes, and was the one American to hit greater than a single three-pointer within the recreation (she completed 3-7 from three-points).
Subsequent Up
The win places the U.S. in first place in Pool C:
1. United States (1-0; +26 level differential)
2. Germany (1-0; +14)
3. Belgium (0-1; -14)
4. Japan (0-1; -26)
The American staff will subsequent face Belgium on Thursday, Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. ET. T
Belgium, who’s led by Emma Meesseman, misplaced within the Quarterfinals final Olympics, and dropped their first recreation of the Olympics to Germany earlier on Monday. Meesseman was the WNBA Finals MVP in 2021, and is poised to be one of many prime gamers Group USA will face this summer time in Paris.
Then, Group USA will as soon as once more face Germany on Sunday, Aug. 4 at 11:15 a.m. When the 2 nations confronted off in exhibition play final Tuesday, the U.S. gained 84-57.
