Coming off a game that was perhaps closer than Team USA would have liked, the women’s national basketball team took care of business against Germany, finishing the group stage with an 87- 68. The US, who had already advanced to the knockout stages, will now do so as the group’s top seed with a perfect 3-0 record in pool play.
Despite another slow start and trailing lead against Germany, Team USA roared back, holding Germany to just 10 points in the second quarter. The US stretched the lead in the second half, avoiding any chance of a German comeback.
Jackie Young led the US with 19 points off the bench, making five 3-pointers. A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, who led the team in scoring so far, finished with 14 points apiece. and 13 respectively.
Two-time WNBA All-Star Satou Sabally led Team Germany with 15 points, while Alexis Peterson added 14. Germany (2-1) had already qualified for the quarterfinals but now will be in a slightly less favorable position as a result.
The United States and Germany will now advance to the knockout stage, with their opponents still to be determined.
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Team USA 87, Germany 68
The United States is on its way to another strong victory in pool play, defeating Germany by 19 points in its final game before the tournament.
Jackie Young had a dominant game with 19 points off the bench, while team scoring leaders A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart finished with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
A standout performance from Jackie Young, who not only had 19 points but four steals, was a key part of the United States’ defense.
With only two minutes left, the US is up 85-64, while Germany continues to lead the United States with Alexis Peterson’s three-pointer and Luisa Geiselsoder’s one. The result is now almost a lock, but if Germany can hold on to take a point, it will give them a better chance in the knockout stages.
Kahleah Copper scored the last three points and is now 3-for-3 from three. USA 83, Germany 56.
Brittny Griner gets a big block and takes the ball to the other side of the court, where Jackie Young gets a three-pointer…followed by another three moments later. The junior is 5-for-8 from three, and has a team-high 17 points so far.
The United States now has a 25-point lead with less than six minutes to go.
Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson pull off a great sequence, Wilson sets a nice screen, Plum sends her a nice sack and Wilson follows it up with a shot.
That basket, along with a three-pointer from Jackie Young and a layup from Alyssa Thomas, gave the United States a 69-46 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Young’s third pair is a very good scorer, with the US entering fourth place looking strong.
Brittney Griner, who also had a down day, gets two late baskets with a jumper and a fast layup. 59-43, United States.
Germany’s Leonie Fiebich collides with Alyssa Thomas and has her right leg buckled under her; he is helped out of court and replaced by Satou Sabally. Fiebich has the team’s second points so far and will be a huge blow to Germany.
Kelsey Plum, who has been struggling to score so far, gets her first point of the game on a nice three-pointer from Jackie Young, and gets a big layup under pressure for one point. Team USA rallied after Germany’s kickoff, leading 54-41 with three and a half minutes left in the quarter.
But don’t count Germany out just yet: Frieda Buhner scores three majors and Germany is back within ten points of Team US 49, Germany 39.
Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart made two big baskets on the glass, and A’ja Wilson stole the ball and drove to the beach for two more points. The US is now 49-36, and will hope to continue to build on their lead.
The second half continues, with Alexis Peterson making a quick steal and fast break for Germany. Satou Sabally scores three points to bring the score to 41-34 in the first minute. Germany came out strong, and the US looked stuck.
After a slow start, the US built a solid lead against high-scoring Germany. Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson, who have led the US in scoring per game so far, are currently leading the way with 11 points and eight points respectively. The US has 18 bench points, compared to Germany’s three – a classic example of a deep bench in the United States.
Shooting problems aside, Team USA did a good job of taking advantage of Germany’s transition – the Germans have 15 results, and the US has scored 14 of them.
Team USA 41, Germany 29 at halftime
Despite the early struggles, the US took a double-digit lead, leading Germany 41-29 at the half. An 11-0 run midway through the quarter really energized the team after Germany had built a lead of more than nine points in the first quarter.
But both teams are struggling to score, missing a few key shots. Germany scored just 10 points in the second half; The US scored 25 points, but is now 2-for-10 from three.
Jackie Young powers the US with back-to-back points, hitting two long layups and a steal for Breanna Stewart’s fast break. Germany takes a timeout as Team USA goes up 32-24.
Alyssa Thomas scores a layup to give the United States its first lead of the game. Team USA is up 24-22 with more than six minutes left in the half.
Kahleah Copper’s triple tied the game again at 22-all, forcing Germany to take a timeout.
Jackie Young scores the first three points for the United States and ties the game at 19-all, but a low miss gives Germany’s Emily Bessoir another chance to take the lead again.
The US began to claw back, cementing Germany’s lead at 19-16 at the end of the first quarter. Both teams went scoreless in the final two minutes of the quarter, with the only points coming from two free throws from Sabrina Ionescu.
Team USA struggled to make three-pointers, going 0-for-3 from beyond the arc in what has turned into an unfortunate streak. Meanwhile, Germany were up by nine points but will now have to battle the surging United States in the final three frames.
Germany took the lead early, going up 15-6 with just over five minutes left in the quarter. Leonie Fiebich’s quick steals force Team USA to bide their time.
And we’re leaving! Germany took the lead with a three-pointer from Leonie Fiebich, but Breanna Stewart scored the first US points with a jumper in the paint. It’s 5-2 Germany to start after the first few minutes.
