Team USA is A’ja Wilson’s team and 2 more takeaways from big win over Germany

3 days After they fell To WNBA The all-star U.S. team fought back to crush Germany, 84-57, on Tuesday.

Here are three takeaways from Team USA’s second and final exhibition game before the 2024 Paris Olympics.

1. Team USA is (still) dominating the game

The U.S. led 22-9, led 44-32 by halftime, and opened up a 14-point lead going into the fourth period. They took control in the final period and won by 27 points, a classic example of women’s Olympic basketball. The U.S. had a balanced attack, with six players scoring eight or more points and five players recording three or more assists.

Chelsea Gray, Diana Taurasi, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier were named to the starting lineup, with Collier taking over for Jewel Loyd, who started in the last exhibition game.

Alyssa Thomas The first OlympianShe came on strong in the second half, finishing with eight points, seven rebounds and four assists. Sabrina Ionescu also came off the bench and finished with eight points, four rebounds and three assists, helping lead much of the offense in the second half.

The team’s veteran leader, 42-year-old Diana Taurasi, who hit two 3-pointers in the first period to set the momentum, is seeking her most Olympic gold medals of all time, the most for a basketball player, and the oldest American basketball player to compete in an Olympic Games.

Ball movement was key to the Americans’ success throughout the night. The team was led by Breanna Stewart (five assists) and Alyssa Thomas (four assists), who combined for an astounding 27 assists on 30 field goals. Both stars are thriving forward positions on two of the best teams in the league and helped create open layup opportunities for the team.

The three-point shooting also favored the U.S. team, making 11 of 26 three-pointers while Germany struggled on the perimeter, making just 6 of 29 three-pointers. Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jewel Loyd and Jackie Young each made two three-pointers. This three-point difference was in stark contrast to yesterday’s men’s basketball game, where the U.S. made six three-pointers while Germany made 13. However, the U.S. women’s team has a lot of good shooters and long-range shooting should continue to be an advantage throughout the tournament.

“It felt great,” Lloyd said. USA Basketball post-game video After the win he said: “The crowd was great, we had more energy than usual today, and of course it feels good to win, so let’s move on.”

2. This is Aja Wilson’s team.

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Wilson has been coming off a historically dominant season since the start of the season. She has been by far the best player in the WNBA this year, averaging league-best 27.2 points and 11.2 rebounds for the Las Vegas Aces, and she will look to continue her dominance in Paris.

In Tokyo, Wilson averaged 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds and was one of the main players for the U.S. If Tuesday’s 19 points and 14 rebounds (and the entire 2024 WNBA season so far) are any indication, the two-time MVP’s numbers will be even more impressive this time around. Wilson will be even more unstoppable when paired with Stewart, a two-time MVP herself, who finished with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists in a team-high 31 minutes.

Excellent individual defense from Wilson and Stewart also helped limit Germany to just 29.41% shooting, and the duo also recorded a combined seven “stocks” (steals and blocks combined).

3. Germany has shown impressive resilience

Photo: Paul Harding/Getty Images

Though the final score may not have reflected it, Germany handled themselves well after being down double digits in the first quarter. Regardless of what anyone who watched the 2024 All-Star Game may think, even going toe-to-toe with a historically good U.S. basketball team was an impressive feat in itself. Heading into Paris, the U.S. team had won 55 straight games and had won nearly every game by double digits in the 2020 Olympics.

The US margin of victory has widened recently, with the US winning by 33 points in the quarterfinals, 40 points in the semifinals and 22 points in the finals at the 2022 World Cup. Meanwhile, Germany is making its women’s basketball debut.

To make matters even tougher, Germany’s star player Satu Sabari is still recovering from a shoulder injury she suffered during Olympic qualifying in February. She returned to the court on Tuesday but had a poor debut, making just 3 of 17 field goals. But last year’s Most Improved Player is gradually improving with more time on the court and is expected to be a major influencer for Germany going forward.

Luisa Geiselsoderr led Germany with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Leonie Fiebic, who is enjoying a strong freshman season for the Liberty, added 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting.

next time

Team USA’s Olympic play will officially begin on Monday, July 29, with a match against Japan at 3:00 PM ET. Team USA will then face Belgium on Thursday, August 1 at 3:00 PM ET, and Germany again on Sunday, August 4 at 11:15 AM ET.

Japan She won a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics and should be in medal contention again. In the gold medal game between the United States and Japan, Japan was no match for Brittney Griner, who shot 14 of 18 for 30 points in a 90-75 victory for the United States.

BelgiumEmma Meesseman’s team lost in the quarterfinals at the last Olympics. Meesseman led the Washington Mystics to a championship in 2021 and was named WNBA Finals MVP. Though she is no longer with the WNBA, Meesseman will be one of the top players Team USA will face in Paris this summer.