2021 Olympics – US women’s basketball steps closer to seventh consecutive Olympic gold

The United States women’s basketball team came to the Olympics with a mission: a seventh consecutive gold medal. The list ranges from five-time Olympians Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi to six players competing in their first Summer Games. So far, some of the newbies have been big contributors. And in Friday’s 79-59 semi-final victory over Serbia, everyone got to play.

There is now one final test: the Olympic final on Saturday (10:30 p.m. ET), against Japan or France. Will the nerves be any different now, or have Americans switched to cruise control?

With the jackpot so close, there might be a bit more nervousness, especially for those who have never been on an Olympic podium before. But in the quarter-final victory over Australia and Friday’s triumph, the Americans upped everything up a notch, especially their defense.

That said, they had a few gaps in attack that will keep coach Dawn Staley and the players vigilant as they haven’t crossed the finish line yet.

“I think since we entered the round of 16 we’ve come to every game with a little more focus,” said Bird. “So you see the results. And most start on the defensive side, and we just carry that with us on the offensive side.

“As usual with USA Basketball, when we get together we try to go down a path where we get better every day on the journey. I always think there is another level that we can. reach and I hope this is what happens in [the gold-medal game]. “

Here’s a look at what stood out in the semifinals and what we’ll be watching in the final.

More and more players seem confident

A’ja Wilson was one of the best players in the tournament and didn’t look like an Olympic debutant at all. She will be playing for gold on her 25th birthday, which could make it particularly unforgettable.

The Americans didn’t need Wilson as much on Friday; she had only nine points, the first time in Tokyo that she didn’t score in double digits. But she played just under 18 minutes against Serbia, having been on the pitch at just 3:45 p.m. against Australia. So Wilson will be very fresh for the final.

Another rookie, guard Chelsea Gray, stepped forward again on Friday, with 14 points on 5 of 6 shots from the field. It was his best score at the Olympics, after an eight-assists performance in the quarter-finals.

Bird joked just before American women went to Japan that it was kind of funny to call someone like Gray an Olympic “rookie”. She has been in the WNBA for seven seasons, won a league title and has played a lot abroad. Still, this is Gray’s first Olympic tournament, and it looks like nothing else. That players like Wilson and Gray look so good for the final is good news for the Americans.

Did we say enough defense?

The Americans kept saying over the course of their brief training period that this team, once it started to build up, was going to be a defensive force. It wasn’t until the medal round that he was dominant, but it turned out as planned.

Serbia have not been an offensive heavyweight in Tokyo; 77 points in the quarter-final victory over China was the Serbs’ record for this tournament. But Team USA held Serbia 30.3% from shots from the field and 21.1% (4 of 19) from behind the arc.

“We made it difficult for the Serbian side to have a clean appearance,” said Staley.

Stewart and Griner continue to stand out

Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner were Olympic rookies in 2016, but they looked like seasoned veterans in Tokyo. Each disappeared for short periods during the tournament, but only briefly. Overall, they have been two of the hardest forces for opponents to stop.

Both achieved double doubles against Serbia: Griner with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Stewart with 12 and 10.

“I think we’re going to see some really good basketball in the gold medal game,” Griner said. “I love the intensity, I love that it’s just a tradition. The culture of the American program is what keeps people coming back.”

The drive for five is almost done

Bird and Taurasi didn’t want these Olympics to be about them more than the rest of the squad. But given the history they are trying to make as the first basketball players to win five gold medals, they also know that emphasis is inevitable.

Taurasi had to fight an injury to be ready to play in Tokyo. And while she’s not 100%, admitting that her hip bothered her a bit on Friday, the confidence she brings never falters. She didn’t score in 12.5 minutes of playing time on Friday, but had four assists, including one without looking at Stewart who was one of the best assists in the Olympics.

Bird, who struggled with his shooting earlier in the Games, didn’t have that problem in the medal round. She was 3 of 4 on the pitch against Serbia and Australia for a total of 17 points, and also had nine assists.