USA basketball highlights: US tops Nigeria to reach Olympic semis

Editor’s note: Follow U.S. women’s basketball vs. France live updates and highlights from the Olympics gold medal game.
PARIS — The U.S. women’s basketball team defeated Nigeria, 88-74, to advance to the semifinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. A’ja Wilson led the U.S. in scoring with 20 points. Jackie Young added 15, Breanna Stewart put up 13 and Brittney Griner scored 11.
The Americans shot 54% from the field (26% from 3), and had the edge on the boards, 44-28. They will face Australia in the semifinal on Aug. 9 for a spot in the gold medal game on Aug. 11 as they chase their eighth straight gold medal.
Here are highlights from the USA’s win. 
The U.S. is rolling with a 76-48 lead through three quarters. Four players have scored nine points or more, led by Jackie Young’s 15. And every player has scored at least one point, and the Americans are shooting 60% from the field. It’s safe to say Australia is counting on playing the U.S. at this point.
2024 Paris Olympics: Follow USA TODAY’s coverage of the biggest names and stories of the Games.
Real talk: This game is kind of boring. That’s not anyone’s fault, really — it’s more a testament to how hard Nigeria is making everything for the Americans, who led 52-33 at the break. The game was closer than the score indicates for most of that half. The U.S. closed the half on a 14-4 run over the last 4:44. The halftime talk is no doubt about how the U.S. needs to come out ready to kill in the third quarter.
Brenna Stewart leads the U.S. with 13 points and A’ja Wilson has 10. The U.S. is shooting 59% from the field but there’s no question that coach Cheryl Reeve, who prides herself on being defense first, is not thrilled about Nigeria shooting 40%.
The U.S. women looked a little meh to start the knockout rounds. Nigeria is clearly unafraid of the U.S. dynasty, and has gone right at Team USA from tip. They have no answer for Breanna Stewart (does anyone?) but it’s clear they’re not going to back down.
Jackie Young, who started the game because of defense, had two nice bucks early and already has five points. Stewart has seven. And Diana Taurasi came off the bench after starting three games and hit a 3 that gave the U.S. a little separation.
Rena Wakama is the head coach for the Nigeria women’s basketball team. She is an assistant coach for the Tulane women’s basketball team.
Chelsea Gray showed off her superb passing skills early against Nigeria, hitting a cutting Breanna Stewart for the Americans’ second bucket of the game and finding Stewart again cross-court for a 3.
Judging by who showed up for the U.S. women’s first game in Paris, there’s plenty of interest in this team. 
LeBron James and wife Savannah are here, sitting in the front row, as are fellow men’s team members Devin Booker and Bam Adebayo. Katie Ladecky, who last week tied Larisa Latynina for most gold medals (nine) by a female Olympian, is also here, and got a big hug from James when he arrived. Michael Phelps, the most-decorated Olympian of all time, is with his family and four-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Allison Schmitt. 
NBA Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki stuck around after watching the Germany-France quarterfinal. 
Brittney Griner knows the face she presents to the world is often a mask. 
She knows what you see — the goofy grin, the 6-foot-9 big kid who loves skateboarding and off-roading, the intimidating shot-blocker on the basketball court — is only a fraction of the truth. 
To outsiders it looks like Griner has moved on quickly from her 10-month detention in Russian custody, a terrifying and isolating stretch of time that would’ve broken most people. When she poses for photos with fans, easily banks in an eight-footer, it looks like things are back to normal. But they’re not, and she’s not. 
“It’s always with me, and there’s definitely moments of like, oh wow this could be totally different — I could be seeing this beautiful view through bars,” Griner said Saturday from USA practice. “It doesn’t go away. It makes you appreciate everything a little bit more too.” 
Napheesa Collier, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Breanna Stewart and Chelsea Gray are the starters for the U.S. This lineup is Las Vegas Aces — literally. Though Diana Taurasi started every pool play game, coach Cheryl Reeve has opted to put Jackie Young in the starting lineup for the beginning of medal rounds. That’s three of the Aces on this team in the starting lineup then with Young, Chelsea Gray and A’ja Wilson.
Our guess: Young has drawn the assignment of keeping Nigerian guardEzinne Kalu in check. Young is a strong defender — literally, she’s one of the strongest guards in the WNBA — and has played well recently off the bench.
Here are the remaining contests at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Cheryl Reeve, head coach of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, will serve as the head coach of the 2024 USA women’s national team. Kara Lawson (Duke), Joni Taylor (Texas A&M) and Mike Thibault (Washington Mystics) will serve as Reeve’s assistant coaches. Reeve and her staff previously led the USA women to a gold medal at the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup.
When she’s sprinting up the floor in transition, Breanna Stewart knows Sabrina Ionescu is looking for her. 
The two have played together so long – nearly 70 games with the New York Liberty over two seasons, plus 17 games together on Team USA – that their knowledge of the other is practically intrinsic. Ionescu knows where Stewart wants the ball. Stewart knows which passing lane Ionescu prefers when she wants to fire an assist Stewart’s way. 
The obvious magnetism between teammates like Stewart and Ionescu can’t be faked or developed overnight. It comes organically, built over hundreds of practices with each other. And it’s giving the Americans a big advantage as they go for their eighth consecutive gold medal in women’s basketball.
“It’s really helpful,” said U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve. “You can see when Sab is running the flor, she’s looking for Stewie. Her eyes are up, she knows when Stewie’s cutting (to the basket). Synergy with your (WNBA) teammates, that’s a natural thing.”
The U.S. women’s basketball roster is made up of eight WNBA champions, three WNBA MVPs and five WNBA Rookies of the Year.
Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) are the only two American women’s basketball players to win five Olympic gold medals. Taurasi can become the first to earn six gold medals in Paris. 
A’ja Wilson will keep piling up double-doubles, pushing the boundaries of what a forward in this game can do and, if all goes according to plan, lead the U.S. women’s basketball team to a record eighth straight Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Maybe the crowning of the latest U.S. dynasty, led by an exceptional talent, will make you tune in. If not, Wilson figures, that’s your loss. 
“Forwards, centers, whatever you want to call us, we don’t get the love we should,” Wilson told USA TODAY Sports. “But I don’t pay it any mind because the true fans, the ones who really understand and love the game, they understand how forwards and centers are a huge part. So yeah, I feel like we’re under appreciated. But I love my position.”
Still, the best player in the world knows there’s likely to be more eyeballs than ever on women’s basketball this summer. She can’t wait to put on a show.
USA women’s basketball has medaled in every Olympics it has participated, winning a total of 11 Olympic medals, including nine gold, one sliver and one bronze. Here’s how the U.S. women have performed since 1976, when women’s basketball debuted at the Montreal Olympics:
The French women’s basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the Paris Olympics Wednesday with an 84-71 quarterfinal win over Germany, and will take on Belgium next. Given the major home court advantage France has here — Bercy Arena is packed with locals and they’re loud — there is no question they will be able to push the Americans if they meet the U.S. in the final (and Diana Taurasi said as much before the Games started).
France is led by two players WNBA fans will be familiar with. Marine Johannes (24 points vs. Germany) and Gabby Williams (15 points, six rebounds) have played terrific in these Olympics, and their pro experience means they won’t back down against A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and company. if they play each other for gold.
There are four women’s games on today’s slate.
Here is the full women’s basketball bracket for the Paris Olympics.
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