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The U.S. women’s basketball team remains one of the most unstoppable forces in international competition.
China qualified for its eighth straight Olympic final and had a chance to win its eighth straight gold medal as it again beat Australia 85-64 on Friday.
Friday’s win also marked the team’s 60th straight win in Olympic competition. The team has not lost a match since losing to United in the 1992 semifinals. In fact, the team has only lost three Olympic games since the 1976 Games.
The Americans will face France for the gold medal on Sunday.
This stunning dominance is almost unmatched in international team sports.
Friday’s game was a celebration of chemistry, passing and ball movement. The Americans dished out 31 assists, nearly double Australia’s 16. That included 27 of its first 28 field goals. Three U.S. starters — Brianna Stewart, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young — each dished out five assists, while no one on the Australian team had more than three.
A’ja Wilson, who finished with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds, commented on the team’s selflessness.
“I thought we passed the ball really, really well. I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of a team that passed the ball like that,” Wilson said Via ESPN“We’re always looking to go from a good shot to a perfect shot. We preach that, but sometimes we don’t always stick to that with certain teams. But I feel like on this team, we’re trying to find the best shot on the floor, and I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of a team like that.”
Considering some of the teams Wilson has played for, including the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces, that speaks volumes about the team’s commitment.
The U.S. women’s basketball team has won medals in every event it has competed in (they did not compete in the 1980 Olympics due to a U.S. boycott), winning nine gold medals, one silver (1976), and one bronze (1992). The team will have at least one silver medal and a chance to win a tenth gold medal in the 2024 Olympics.
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