The United States is the rival to beat in an Olympic semi-final where France is also back. The true Dream Team of these Games beat Nigeria without too many setbacks (74-88) to fight for its eighth consecutive gold, the sixth in a row for the eternal Diana Taurasi. The American giant has not lost a match at the Games since the semi-finals in Barcelona 92, that is, it has 59 consecutive victories and more than 30 years without losing in an Olympic match.
On Wednesday, in the quarterfinals, Nigeria held out in the first quarter (12-16, min. 8) trying to impose its muscle, but it was only a matter of time before the United States got going to finish the game quickly and Team USA went into the break with an insurmountable lead (+19, 33-52). Although the American lead reached 30 points (41-71) after a basket by Brittney Griner, Nigeria, which has surprised in these Games with its play and its victories against Australia and Canada, did not give up trying to make up for the result (74-88).
The Olympic champions will face Australia in the semi-finals, the team that the United States beat to gold in Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. The Opals had no trouble getting rid of a Serbia that was in a slump (67-85). The 2-0 lead was the only advantage the Balkan team had in the entire match, while the Australian lead, enjoyed by Alanna Smith (22 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists for a PIR of 33), Jade Melbourne (18 points and 5 assists) and Cayla George (18), reached 28 in the third quarter (42-70).
Spain said goodbye to the Games after falling to a much superior Belgium (66-79). Emma Meesseman and company are in the semi-finals for the first time to certify the giant leap that their basketball has made in recent years. After winning continental bronzes in 2017 and 2021, in 2023 they took another step forward with that European gold. And now in Paris they can achieve the first Olympic medal in their history.
But to achieve this, they will have to add one more victory in this final stretch of the Olympic Games and it will not be easy due to the quality of their rivals. In the semi-finals, they will face the host, a France with a lot of potential but that can fail at key moments. Just ask Spain or Serbia in the European finals. But France did not do so in their quarter-final against Germany, the surprise of these Games. Satou Sabally was being one of the most outstanding players in the tournament but, against the French, she was held to just 10 points. The host, on the other hand, enjoyed the best Marine Johannes who, with 24 points and 5/10 in three-pointers, led her team, which is repeating in a semi-final (in Tokyo she took bronze) after beating Germany 71-84.
Results in the quarter-finals at Paris 2024
- Serbia 67 – Australia 85
- Spain 66 – Belgium 79
- Germany 71 – France 84
- Nigeria 74 – United States 88
Paris 2024 semi-final schedule and match-ups
- France – Belgium (Friday 9 August)
- United States – Australia (Friday, August 9)
Medal matches in Paris 2024
- Bronze medal match (Sunday, August 11, 11:30)
- Final (Sunday 11 August, 15:30)
Olympic Games medal table
2024-08-07 21:21:44
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