The United States, the reigning Olympic champions, has booked their place in the quarterfinals of the women’s basketball tournament at the Paris Games. They achieved this after a convincing victory over Belgium, winning 87-74 in Group C. The game was played at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Lille, near the Belgian border, amidst a boisterous crowd. Although Belgium managed to tie the game at 23-23 in the first quarter, thanks to the efforts of Antonia Delaere and Emma Meesseman who combined for 40 points, the U.S. quickly regained control. Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson led the way for the U.S., scoring 26 and 23 points respectively.
“I love it playing a game like this where it’s so loud that it doesn’t become noise anymore, it’s feels, you just wanna go out and play just the best game and that’s what we did,” Wilson said after the game. “I love when the crowd does that against us (booing), that is a beautiful thing about our game … proving people wrong.”
Meanwhile, Germany secured their spot in the quarterfinals with a 75-64 win over Japan. Satou Sabally was unstoppable for Germany, scoring a game-high 33 points. “We believed in ourselves the whole time and I think now it’s finally showing that German basketball is really elevated in Europe and all around the world,” the WNBA Dallas Wings forward told reporters.
Japan will now face Belgium in their final Group C match, hoping to finish among the top two third-placed teams in the pool stage to advance to the next round.
In Group B, France solidified their position as a top contender with a commanding 75-54 victory over Nigeria. This victory catapulted them to the top of Group B. Gabby Williams was instrumental in France’s success, contributing 14 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. “It was very important to get those two wins and go to Paris. We really wanted to make sure we could get there. We want to go there and we want to finish at the top,” said France coach Jean-Aime Toupane.
Australia also recorded their first Olympic victory, defeating Canada 70-65 in their Group B encounter. This win sets them up for a crucial match against group leaders France on Sunday, where a win will secure their place in the quarterfinals. Canada, on the other hand, must beat Nigeria to stay in contention for a quarterfinal berth.
