SAITAMA, Japan — They are still queens of the court. The U.S. women’s team has once again returned to the pinnacle of Olympic basketball.
Brittney Griner scored 30 points Sunday as Team USA defeated Japan 90-75 at the Tokyo Games to capture their seventh straight gold medal. That ties the U.S. men’s team for most consecutive gold medals in basketball.
The U.S. women also extended their Olympic Games winning streak to 55 games. The last time Team USA lost a game in this tournament was in 1992 at the Barcelona Games.
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— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2021
THE GOLD STANDARD. @USABasketball makes it seven in a row! #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA x #OlympicHERstory pic.twitter.com/kFIsxsuKro
A’ja Wilson scored 19 points and had seven rebounds, five assists and five blocks, while Breanna Stewart added 14 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks for Team USA.
It was a historic day for American teammates Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, who became the first players to win their fifth women’s basketball gold medals with Team USA.
The Americans started quickly, running out to a 23-14 lead. The squad continued its torrid pace in the second quarter, finishing with 53% shooting to take a 50-39 lead at the half.
Griner, who earned her second Olympic gold medal, also had five rebounds and three blocked shots. She made 14 of 18 shots in the game and led Team USA’s first-half charge by scoring 18 points, while Wilson added 10.
A gold medal game performance for the record books for Brittney Griner. #OlympicHERstory #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/GTWk9CZJky
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 8, 2021
Team USA began to pull away in the third quarter, using an 18-6 run to take a 75-56 lead heading into the final period.
It was Japan’s first appearance in a women’s basketball gold medal. Team captain Maki Takada led Japan with 17 points.
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