U.S. women beat Australia, to play for 8th straight gold medal

Breanna Stewart scored 16 points to lead the United States to an 85-64 victory over Australia in the first semifinal at the Paris Olympics on Friday, sending the Americans to the gold-medal game in the eighth consecutive Olympics.

The U.S. (5-0) will face the host country, France (4-1), which defeated Belgium 81-75 in overtime in the other semifinal on Friday, in the gold-medal game on Sunday. Australia will take on Belgium in the bronze-medal game.

A showdown against Belgium would haven been a rematch. Team USA beat Belgium 87-74 in the group stage on Aug. 1. Instead, the U.S. women are facing France — the same matchup as in the men’s gold-medal game on Saturday. France last played in this final in 2012 and lost to the Americans in London.

Stewart shot 6 of 12 from the floor, sank a 3-pointer, and also had six rebounds and five assists. A’ja Wilson added 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, while her Las Vegas Aces teammate Jackie Young — making her second straight start — notched 14 points and five assists. Off the bench, Kahleah Copper chipped in 11 points, six rebounds and three assists.

“We kind of know what the standard is for USA basketball,” Young said. “We just want to keep that going.”

Isobel Borlase paced the Opals (3-2) with 11 points, while Marianna Tolo and Tess Madgen scored 10 points apiece. Veteran Lauren Jackson — a four-time Olympic medalist and former three-time WNBA MVP — played only briefly, notching just a rebound and a steal.

Still, Australia will have the chance to medal for the first time since Jackson was last on the squad, in 2012, when the Australians won the bronze in London.

The Americans never trailed the Australians and were tied with them for only 26 seconds early in the first quarter, broken by a layup from Chelsea Gray that sparked a 12-2 run.

The Opals trailed by four points entering the second quarter, but the U.S. pulled away with a 14-2 run to gain a comfortable 16-point advantage. Copper had two assists and a 3-pointer during that stretch. The U.S. later led by as much as 21 points in the second frame after a mid-range jumper from Stewart.

A 16-4 run midway through the third period — fueled by six points and two boards from Wilson — put the U.S. ahead by 27 points.

The U.S. shot 50 percent from the floor as a team and had 31 assists on 34 made baskets. The Americans outrebounded Australia 46-34.

Team USA has now won 60 straight games in Olympic play, a streak dating back to 1992.

“This may look easy, but this is anything but easy,” U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve said. “And so I’m super proud of us, the evolution that we’ve made as a team, and I’m excited that we’ve got the last stand, if you will, in this campaign to see if we can get another gold medal.”

France outscored Belgium 15-9 in the overtime period, including nine of Gabby Williams’ team-high 18 points, after trailing after each of the first three quarters.

“I just try to take a little bit more responsibilities at the end,” Williams said. “I was well rested.”

France rallied in the fourth quarter and led 66-60 on two free throws by Marine Fauthoux with 56 seconds left in regulation.

Guard Julie Vanloo sank three foul shots for Belgium (2-3) with 50 seconds remaining, and she assisted center Emma Meesseman’s 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds left to tie the game and force overtime.

France shot just 29.9 percent (23 of 77) from the floor to 44.2 percent (23 of 52) for Belgium. The French recorded 14 steals, forced 22 turnovers and sank 28 of 32 free throws, to 23 of 29 for the Belgians.

Meesseman had a double-double with game highs of 19 points and 14 rebounds for Belgium, in its second Olympics in this sport.