Team USA Women's Basketball Takes Down Japan In First Olympic Contest
Like it did in the gold medal game in the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the United States women’s national basketball team once again knocked off the Japanese national team. This time around, it was in the first game of group play of the 2024 Olympics on July 29, with the Americans winning in dominant fashion, 102-76.
It was a slow start for Team USA, but once the United States found its footing, the 2024 squad was off and running. Here are some takeaways from the Americans’ first glimpse at official Olympic competition:
A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart Shine For Team USA
From the jump, it was A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart who anchored the Americans on both sides of the ball. Through one quarter, Wilson was already in double-figures and Stewart was not far behind.
Wilson finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and four blocks while Stewart finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Suffice it to say, the pair did just about everything for Team USA.
Both Wilson and Stewart took advantage of post play and used their size to give the United States control inside the paint. Team USA out-rebounded Team Japan 56-27 and tallied 11 blocks compared to Japan’s zero, with Wilson and Stewart leading the charge.
If Team USA continues to work its offense through Wilson and Stewart and facilitate the ball into the post, remaining Olympic competition will certainly have their hands full on defense.
Team USA’s Depth On Full Display
Much was said about Team USA’s All-Star Game loss to Team WNBA on July 20 and whether the decisions made surrounding the United States’ Olympic roster were the right ones.
After ultimately blowing out Team Japan, Team USA answered any remaining questions about if this group was up to the task. Not only did superstars Wilson and Stewart have it going offensively, but Team USA had three additional players score in double figures, all coming off the bench.
Brittney Griner finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, while Kelsey Plum also chipped in 11 points. Sabrina Ionescu also had things going, down the stretch especially, as she finished with 11 points as well.
Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray also provided sparks for Team USA, with Young tallying seven points and Gray facilitating on all cylinders with 13 assists.
Future Hall-of-Famer Diana Taurasi, who is looking to win the sixth gold medal of her Olympic career, only scored two points, and Team USA still defeated Japan by 26 points. That alone speaks volumes about the United States’ depth.
When The 3-Pointers Fall, This Team Will Be Unbeatable
Aside from Ionescu’s three 3-pointers and one more from Plum, Team USA went cold from distance against Japan. The United States shot just 4-for-20 from 3-point range, whereas Japan went 15-for-39.
If Taurasi and Gray can get going from the arc as starters and then pass off the torch to Ionescu and Plum off the bench, then Team USA will be virtually unstoppable. With just four 3-pointers against Japan, the United States still took care of business, thus when the jumpers inevitably fall down the road, Team USA will firmly be in the driver’s seat.
Adding just a few more jumpers from distance to the mix will continue to separate Team USA from the field. Once these players can get in their rhythm from beyond the arc as Olympic play goes on, the United States will be in good hands.
Time Will Serve Team USA Well
The Americans eventually jumped out to a lead, but in the opening minutes of the first quarter, it was closer than Team USA would’ve liked. Right from the tip, Japan came out with scrappy, pestering defense, trying to keep Team USA’s lead at bay.
The United States was obviously able to overcome Japan’s defense with the ultimate victory, but it’s apparent this team still needs more time to blend its roster together. Other than the All-Star Game, the members of Team USA only had one other chance to suit up with each other in a pre-Olympic exhibition game against Germany on July 23.
Case in point, they haven’t had a lot of time to put it all together.
Yes, Team USA may not have as much competition internationally as it does on the men’s side, but the Americans still have a ways to go en route to another gold medal.
Once this squad gets its remaining group play games under its belt, though, things will click even more than they did against Japan and the United States will be on its way.
Team USA’s next group play game is against Belgium at 3:00 p.m. EST on August 1.