A’ja Wilson scored 20 points and Jackie Young added 15 points to lead the US to a 88-74 win over Nigeria on Wednesday night in the quarter-finals of the Paris Games, extending their record winning streak to 59 consecutive Olympic wins.
Breanna Stewart also had 13 for the Americans, who haven’t lost since the 1992 Barcelona Games and are now two victories away from an unprecedented eighth consecutive gold medal. They will face a familiar foe in Australia in the semi-finals on Friday night.
The Opals routed Serbia 85-67. The other medal round game will feature host France playing Belgium.
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The loss ended a historic run by Nigeria, who became the first African country to qualify for the Olympic basketball quarter-finals.
After getting off to slow starts the last few games, the US altered their starting lineup, inserting Young for Diana Taurasi. It was the first time Taurasi did not start an Olympic game since her debut at the Athens Games in 20024.
The move worked as the Americans were up 26-17 after the first quarter – the first time they had a lead after one quarter since their opening win over Japan.
Young had five points early before tweaking her ankle when she landed on a Nigerian player’s foot while shooting a jumper. Taurasi subbed in and hit her first shot – a 3-pointer from the top of the key – that made it 24-12 late in the first.
Nigeria hung around and were only down 31-27 before Wilson, Young and Kelsey Plum took over. The Las Vegas Aces’ trio scored the first 15 points, including eight by Wilson, during a 21-6 run to close the half that gave the Americans a 52-33 half-time cushion.
The US kept the spurt going in the third quarter, scoring the first 10 points to give the Nigerians no hopes of a comeback.
Promise Amukamara scored 19 to lead Nigeria. Amy Okonkwo added 17, and Ezinne Kalu 16.
With this being the US team’s first game played in Paris, the contest drew some fellow Olympians including men’s team players LeBron James, Bam Adebayo and Devin Booker as well as American swimming greats Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky. Members of the US rowing team were also in attendance.