US women’s basketball team cruise to Olympic final four with win over Nigeria
A’ja Wilson scored 20 points and Jackie Young added 15 to lead the U.S. to an 88-74 win over Nigeria in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics on Wednesday night, extending its record streak of 59 consecutive Olympic victories.
Breanna Stewart also had 13 for the Americans, who have not lost since the 1992 Barcelona Games and are now two wins shy of an unprecedented eighth consecutive gold medal. They will face a familiar opponent in Australia in the semifinals on Friday night.
The Opals defeated Serbia 85-67. The other medal match is between host France and Belgium.
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The loss ended a historic run for Nigeria, which became the first African country to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Olympic basketball tournament.
After starting slowly in the last few games, the U.S. changed their lineup, bringing in Young for Diana Taurasi. It was the first time Taurasi had not started an Olympic game since her debut at the 2002 Athens Games4.
The move worked, as the Americans led 26-17 after the first quarter – the first time they had led after one quarter since their opening win over Japan.
Young had five points early on before twisting her ankle when she landed on a Nigerian player’s foot during a jumper. Taurasi came on and made her first shot — a 3-pointer from the top of the key — to make it 24-12 at the end of the first half.
Nigeria hung on, trailing only 31-27 before Wilson, Young and Kelsey Plum took over. The Las Vegas Aces trio scored the first 15 points, including eight from Wilson, during a 21-6 run to close the half, giving the Americans a 52-33 halftime lead.
The US kept the streak going into the third quarter, scoring the first 10 points, leaving the Nigerians with no hope of a comeback.
Promise Amukamara scored 19 to lead Nigeria. Amy Okonkwo added 17 and Ezinne Kalu 16.
Because this was the U.S. team’s first race in Paris, the race attracted a number of fellow Olympians, including men’s team players LeBron James, Bam Adebayo and Devin Booker, as well as U.S. swimming greats Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky. Members of the U.S. rowing team were also in attendance.