Team USA Women’s Basketball Dominates Japan in Olympic Opener

The U.S. women’s basketball team kicked off their campaign at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics with a commanding 102-76 victory over Japan, setting the stage for a run at their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal. The win extended Team USA’s remarkable Olympic winning streak to 56 games, a record that dates back to the 1992 Barcelona Games.
The game, played on Monday in Lille, France, started with a bit of a slow burn for the American team. Japan managed to keep the score close through the first half, relying heavily on their three-point shooting to counteract the Americans’ inside game. However, Team USA found their rhythm in the third quarter, pulling away with a decisive run that Japan couldn’t match.
A’ja Wilson led the charge for the U.S. squad, delivering an impressive performance with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocked shots. Breanna Stewart added significant support with 22 points and eight rebounds. “The Point God” Chelsea Gray orchestrated the offense beautifully, finishing the game with 13 assists.
“We always say the most physical team normally gets the win, so we had to come out and establish ourselves on the stage that we’re on, and I think we did a good job of that today,” Wilson remarked after the game.
The victory was also notable for the return of Brittney Griner to international play. Griner, who had been imprisoned in Russia on drug charges and released in a prisoner swap in December 2022, scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds in her Olympic return. “Honestly, I think it was incredible for BG to be back at the Olympics,” said Stewart. “Anything that she does going forward, and the way that she handles herself, and being here, being overseas, being a dominant force down low, I’m really proud of her.”
Japan, who had faced the U.S. in the gold-medal match at the Tokyo Olympics three years prior, struggled to keep pace despite their efforts. Their reliance on three-point shots helped them stay competitive early on, but the Americans’ dominance in the paint and on the boards eventually proved too much. Team USA’s defense and physicality wore down the Japanese team, allowing the U.S. to take control and secure a comfortable victory by the game’s end.
Diana Taurasi, aiming for an unprecedented sixth Olympic gold medal, acknowledged the unique challenge Japan posed. “We played this team for a gold medal, you know, not too long ago. And the way they play is unorthodox. They shoot a lot of threes. They’re fast. They make you play in a different style,” Taurasi said. “And I think you saw those different moments where we struggled a little bit, and then we got used to it.”
Team USA’s next match in the group stage will be against Belgium on Thursday, followed by a game against Germany on Sunday. As the Americans continue their pursuit of another gold medal, their performance against Japan serves as a strong statement of intent and a reminder of their dominance in women’s basketball.
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