Paris (AFP) – The United States held off France 67-66 to win an unprecedented eighth successive women’s Olympic basketball gold on Sunday and extend their run of victories at the tournament to 61 games. A’ja Wilson scored a game-high 21 points for the Americans, 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.
“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.” Kelsey Plum and Kahleah Copper both scored 12 points off the bench for the US. Williams, who led France with 19, admitted she knew her last-gasp shot wasn’t 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.
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“I was behind her, so I saw it was a two,” said Copper. “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,” said US coach Cheryl Reeve. “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. The US women got support from LeBron James, who sat courtside wearing his gold medal and was joined by teammates Bam Adebayo and Derrick White after they won the men’s gold by beating France 98-87 in Saturday’s final.
**Frantic finish** – A low-scoring first quarter saw a cold-shooting France muster just nine points, but the US only fared marginally better and led by six after 10 minutes. Nevada-born Williams, who qualifies to play for France through her mother, trimmed the gap to a point with a three early in the second period before a basket from Valeriane Ayayi tied the game at 20-20. Marine Fauthoux drained a three from near midcourt with the shot clock expiring to send the Bercy Arena crowd wild, but Napheesa Collier’s putback ensured the teams headed into the break level at 25-25.
France strung together a 10-point run to start the third period before the US hit back to lead 45-43 going into the final quarter, with Plum connecting on a pair of threes. Wilson belatedly found some rhythm offensively after a difficult first half, but France had an answer each time and went back in front, 51-49, on Marieme Badiane’s layup. The US nudged back ahead, Wilson getting a kind bounce off the backboard and Plum sinking a pair of free throws to leave them leading by three with two minutes to play.
Williams’ jumper made it a one-point contest before Copper drove to the basket to keep the US on top. France got the ball back trailing by three with around 45 seconds left, but Fauthoux’s desperate heave under heavy pressure came up well short. Wilson then made a free throw to extend the lead to four, and Plum looked to have clinched the win with a pair of foul shots, but Williams kept France alive with a clutch three. Copper held her nerve to sink two more free throws for the US to restore their cushion to three. They needed every point as Williams nearly pulled off a miraculous escape act as the buzzer sounded, only to be denied by a matter of centimetres.
“We shouldn’t let our heads drop because what we did tonight was huge. Everyone’s going to talk about this game for years,” said Williams. “Of course there’s disappointment, but I think in a few hours we’re going to celebrate this medal.”
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