U.S. women’s basketball team wins eighth straight Olympic gold medal : NPR

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PARIS – It wasn’t great basketball. But it didn’t have to be. It was just enough.

Led by A’Ja Wilson, who scored 21 points, the U.S. women’s team beat France on Sunday, 67-66, becoming the first basketball team in Olympic history to win eight consecutive gold medals. The U.S. has now won 61 games in a row at the Summer Games dating back to 1992.

This win didn’t come with the ease with which this team normally plays, with the Americans repeatedly tested by the tenacious French team and a huge pro-French crowd at Bercy Arena. They were treated to a heart-stopping moment with France star Gabby Williams sinking a long-range jumper at the buzzer. But the shot was ruled a two-pointer, not a three, giving the U.S. a one-point win.

“It was a little bit ugly. But no matter what whether it’s good, ugly, whatever we just want to come out on top, and we did that, and we go home with this gold,” Breanna Stewart told reporters afterwards.

The first half of the game was incredibly disjointed, with the U.S. seeming unable to find any offensive rhythm against a very physical French defense. France briefly took the lead, 25-23 right before halftime, but the U.S. fired back and was able to tie it right before the buzzer, bringing it to a 25-25 tie at the half.

When play resumed, the U.S. did not score until more than three minutes into the quarter. At one point they trailed by as many as ten points.

“We had a hard time getting to our identity of being able to play and transition and score,” said U.S. women’s basketball coach Cheryl Reeve. “We were the two best defensive teams in the tournament, and we both showed that. It was ugly, but it was ugly for a reason. We both made it hard for each other.”

Guard Jackie Young, who has been a key scorer for the U.S team in the quarterfinals and semifinals, fouled out in the fourth quarter. But not before the U.S. rallied with key three-pointers and free throws by Kelsey Plum.

It was France’s first appearance in the Olympic gold medal basketball game since the 2012 Games in London, when the U.S. beat France by 36 points. With Sunday’s loss, France wins the silver medal and Australia claimed bronze by beating Belgium in the third-place game.

Brittney Griner, who was competing internationally for the first time since was freed in a prisoner swap 20 months ago with Russia, said that upon winning, her emotions were “all over the place” during the medal ceremony following the game.

“I was on the podium, flag was going up, as soon as the anthem started tears started coming down my face,” Griner said. “I didn’t think I would be here, like I said before, and then to be here, winning gold for my country, representing when my country fought so hard for me to even be standing here. This gold medal’s gonna hold a special place amongst the other two I was fortunate to win.”

It was a big basketball weekend for the U.S., with both the men’s and women’s basketball teams facing host France for gold medals.

One day earlier the U.S. men’s team held off France, 98-87 to win its fifth-straight Olympic gold. The men’s team went 6-0 in the Paris Games and won gold.