The US on Sunday held off France 67-66 to win an unprecedented eighth successive women’s Olympic basketball gold and extend their run of victories at the tournament to 61 games.
A’ja Wilson scored a game-high 21 points for the US who won the title for the 10th time overall, surviving a buzzer-beating shot from France’s Gabby Williams.
The hosts needed a three to force overtime in Paris, but Williams’ foot was on the three-point line as she let go of the ball, so her shot counted for just two points in a dramatic finale.
Photo: AFP
“I wish I could put it into words. I don’t think I’ll remember that second half for the next couple of weeks. It’s all a blur right now,” said Wilson, who also registered 13 rebounds and four blocks.
“We were just resilient in what we needed to do,” she added.
Kelsey Plum and Kahleah Copper both scored 12 points off the bench for the US.
Williams, who led France with 19, said that she knew her last-gasp shot was not going to be enough.
“I knew straight away it was two points, but I was going quickly. It was hard to stop,” she said.
The referees briefly conferred before confirming the game was over.
“We shouldn’t let our heads drop because what we did tonight was huge. Everyone’s going to talk about this game for years,” Williams said. “Of course there’s disappointment, but I think in a few hours we’re going to celebrate this medal.”
“I was behind her, so I saw it was a two,” Copper said. “No stress for me — I don’t know about the people on the bench.”
An eighth straight triumph gave the US women the record for most consecutive gold medals in any team sport at the Olympics, breaking a tie with the US men, who won seven basketball titles in a row from 1936 to 1968.
“An absolutely incredible basketball game. Two teams that left it all out there,” US coach Cheryl Reeve said. “I knew it would be hard, anything easy isn’t worth having. Coming home with gold, I can’t think of anything that would be greater in life than what we just did together.”
For the 42-year-old Diana Taurasi it was a record sixth Olympic gold, moving her one ahead of Sue Bird.
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