The U.S. women’s basketball team continues to showcase its unmatched depth, a key factor in their impressive streak of seven consecutive Olympic gold medals. In a dominant performance on Sunday, the Americans defeated Germany 87-68, extending their record streak to 58 consecutive Olympic wins dating back to the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Head coach Cheryl Reeve emphasized the importance of depth in the team’s success, stating, “We’re not the USA dynasty without it. I think it’s what defines the dynasty is the depth of talent that the USA has.” Jackie Young contributed significantly to the victory, scoring 19 points off the bench as part of the reserves’ total of 52 points.
A’ja Wilson, who added 14 points, acknowledged the team’s ability to maintain a high level of play regardless of substitutions, saying, “That’s what makes us one of the best teams in the world that we can sub five and five out and there’s no drop off.” With this win, the U.S. improved to 3-0 in the tournament, securing the top seed in their pool. Germany, competing in its first Olympics, also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 record.
Prior to the Olympics, the U.S. had defeated Germany 84-57 in an exhibition game in London. On Sunday, Germany started strong, jumping to a 17-8 lead midway through the first quarter, aided by Leonie Fiebich, who scored eight points early on.
Despite the slow start, the U.S. team remained composed. Coach Reeve opted to bring in a new lineup that included Sabrina Ionescu, Jewell Loyd, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, and Young. “I mean, I think that’s what makes our team special. We have a lot of lineups, a lot of things that we can do,” Thomas remarked. This shift closed the gap to 19-16 by the end of the first quarter, and the Americans then executed a 21-5 run to start the second quarter, leading 41-29 at halftime.
Reeve made additional adjustments to her starting backcourt at the beginning of the third quarter, replacing Diana Taurasi and Chelsea Gray with Loyd and Ionescu. The Germans started the second half with five quick points but fell behind again as the U.S. pulled ahead with six consecutive points from Kelsey Plum, maintaining a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game.
German coach Lisa Thomaidis noted the challenges of facing the U.S., stating, “The athleticism and the skill level they can bring in off the bench, I mean you’re bringing Brittney Griner off the bench. I mean that’s just, that’s just another level. So yeah I mean they’re the best team in the world for a reason.” She added that Germany showed positive moments during the game but acknowledged the need for improvement.
Germany faced a setback when Fiebich was injured in the third quarter after a collision with two U.S. players. She did not return to the game after scoring 10 points. Thomaidis indicated that she had not yet spoken with the trainers regarding the extent of Fiebich’s injury. Satou Sabally and Alexis Peterson were the top scorers for Germany, contributing 15 and 14 points, respectively. Germany played without Nyara Sabally, who is in concussion protocol after being helped off the court in their opening win.
In other tournament news on Sunday, Nigeria made history by becoming the first African nation to advance to the quarterfinals, defeating Canada 79-70. Belgium also progressed to the elimination round with a 27-point victory over Japan. The final game of group play featured a matchup between Australia and France later on Sunday.
