One Win From Glory: Team USA Women’s Basketball Takes Down Australia In Semifinals
Even on the final play of the game with under 10 seconds to go and a 21-point lead, Sabrina Ionescu continued her full-court pressure on Australia in the United States women’s basketball team’s semifinal match on August 9. Ionescu’s last play against Australia was reminiscent of her 3-point dagger and shushing of the crowd during Team USA’s group play game against Belgium.
This Olympic Games, the Americans have carried with them a certain “take no prisoners” approach, and it was evident in those moments spearheaded by the New York Liberty guard. No matter who they are facing or how much time remains on the clock, Team USA has been prepared to defend what has become second nature in terms of their squad winning the Olympic gold medal each year.
The United States ultimately defeated Australia 85-64 this go-around, continuing its dominance en route to an eighth-straight appearance in the coveted gold medal match.
Team USA got off to a fast start with lots of involvement from the starting unit, which, for the second-straight game, was made up of Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Napheesa Collier, and Jackie Young. By the first timeout, the Americans had jumped out to a 12-4 lead, and all game, they proved to be in control.
Here are some takeaways from Team USA’s semifinal match against Australia:
Las Vegas Aces On Full Display
Once again, there’s a reason why there are four Las Vegas Aces players on this year’s Team USA squad. The Aces are one of the best teams in women’s basketball and they have the caliber of players to prove it.
Whether it’s A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young setting the tone for Team USA with their scoring, Chelsea Gray playing facilitator on the offensive end, or Kelsey Plum coming off the bench with the second unit, the Aces have left their imprint all over this United States squad.
Against Australia, Young had a third-straight strong performance following her 19-point outing versus Germany on August 4 and 15-point game versus Nigeria on August 7. This time around, Young finished with double figures again, tallying 14 points.
Wilson had 10 points of her own, marking her fifth-straight Olympic game with double-figures, while Gray finished with five points and five assists and Plum chipped in two free throws. All in all, the Aces accounted for 31 of Team USA’s 85 points in this game, showcasing yet again Las Vegas’ impact on this iteration of the women’s Olympic squad.
Who knows, maybe all four of these Las Vegas stars will be back in the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, maybe even with the addition of a player like Aces rookie Kate Martin.
Stewart’s Olympic Experience Continually Shining Through
There’s a reason at age 29 this is already Stewart’s third Olympic Games. Stewart won gold medals in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and in Tokyo in 2021, and each Olympics, she has only expanded her role on Team USA.
This year has been no different.
Throughout the 2024 Olympic Games, Stewart’s prior Olympic experience has shone through in big ways. In Team USA’s five contests so far, she has proven to be a main focal point of the Americans’ offense.
Against Australia, Stewart faced her Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello. Even with increased intel on Stewart’s game, Australia was no match for the reigning WNBA MVP. Stewart finished with a team-high 16 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists in the contest. With one game in the Olympics left to go, Stewart is only 10 points shy of 100 for this year’s tournament.
When Diana Taurasi bids adieu to her Olympic career after this summer, Stewart and Brittney Griner will be the most tenured Olympians for Team USA.
Griner will be 37 come 2028 in Los Angeles, so only time will tell if she will play for Team USA. Regardless, Stewart has already established herself as a rightful candidate to have the torch passed down to, and this year has only helped her case.
Team USA’s Formula Once Again Successful
The United States’ formula for winning in this year’s Olympics has been uber-successful all tournament, and it was again against Australia in the semifinals.
The game plan starts at the top, with starters like Stewart and Wilson who set the tone. In the case of the last two games, it’s also been Young who has gotten Team USA into the game. The five starters open up the scoring and are the ones the offense ultimately runs through throughout the contest.
The Americans’ starting group efforts are then matched by the bench players, who contribute as different lineups are moving in and out of the game. Players like Griner, Plum, Ionescu, Alyssa Thomas, Jewell Loyd, and even Kahleah Copper, who had 11 points off the bench for Team USA against Australia, serve as the perfect counter punch to whatever the starting unit comes out with.
This formula has worked for five games now, and there’s no doubt Cheryl Reeve and Team USA will lean on the United States’ depth once again in the gold medal match. With two superstars like Stewart and Wilson and a bench unit headlined by just as many all-stars as the starting group, it’s a no-brainer for the United States.
Team USA will play France at 9:30 a.m. EST on August 11 for a chance at a tenth all-time Olympic gold medal.