Team USA Women’s Basketball Wins Thriller Over France In Paris Olympics Gold Medal Game
Written by djfrosty on August 12, 2024
Team USA‘s Women’s basketball team survived a thriller in their gold medal contest against Team France, and it was far closer than the Team USA Men’s basketball gold medal game. With the victory, the Women’s team became the first team in any sport to win eight consecutive gold medals.
With some of the WNBA’s best talent on the squad, Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson led the team with 21 pints and 13 boards to go along with four crucial blocks. They needed all they could get from Wilson as France’s Gabby Williams, a former WNBA player and past collegiate champion with the University of Connecticut. Williams led the charge for Team France, who wouldn’t go away, and nearly tied the game up at the buzzer with a last-second heave but it was ruled a two-point shot.
From NBC Olympics:
Not without a whole lot of agita first, though. Less than 24 hours after these countries’ men’s teams delivered a fourth quarter for the ages, the women did the same, with six ties and six lead changes over the final 10 minutes of play. France had an answer every time the U.S. looked primed to make a run, taking a two-point lead with just 5:03 to go. But Copper poured in four straight points to put Team USA back ahead, and Wilson hit a circus jumper to stretch the lead to three.
It seemed like the U.S. had finally put things away when Plum cashed two free throws to go up 65-61 with just 11 seconds left. But then Williams almost pulled off a final flurry for the ages, hitting one quick 3 to keep France alive and then, after two more free throws, getting a heave to go that very nearly forced overtime.
It was one of the better sporting events to take place at the 2024 Summer Olympics and proved that the world is indeed catching up with the American basketball stars on both sides. Kudos to Team France for an exciting finish.
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Photo: Getty