In a thrilling matchup in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France, the U.S. women’s basketball team was put to the test by a determined Belgium squad, marking a rare challenge during the Americans’ unbeaten streak at the Olympics that stretches back to the 1992 Barcelona Games.
The atmosphere was electric as the pro-Belgium crowd, numbering just over 25,000 fans, cheered on their team as they closed the gap to just four points in the third quarter. However, the dynamic duo of Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson stepped up for the U.S. when it mattered most.
Stewart notched an impressive 26 points, while Wilson contributed 23 points and 13 rebounds, leading the U.S. to an 87-74 victory over Belgium. With this win, the Americans secured a spot in the Paris quarterfinals and extended their remarkable streak to 57 consecutive Olympic victories.
Despite the final score, it was evident that Belgium had given the U.S. a run for their money, making this one of the closest games in the team’s historic run of seven consecutive gold medals. Only three games during this period had been decided by single digits.
“They’re just a really good team,” remarked U.S. guard Diana Taurasi. “A really, really good team. They probably are one of the best teams in the world. I mean it’s great you know, I think that it just shows how much they love basketball in Europe.”
The Americans, with a 2-0 record, faced the challenge of playing in front of a boisterous pro-Belgium crowd that dominated the 25,044 attendees at the arena located just 30 minutes from the Belgian border.
“Being so close to Belgium and the way that they continue to show support,” reflected Stewart, “it’s what you want in the Olympics. And, I just said, on TV, it’s like, I hope when we get to LA, we have that, you know, because the amount of pride in representing your country is. It’s like no other.”
As the U.S. team looks ahead to the next phase of the competition, they are well aware that challenges like the one posed by Belgium only serve to make them stronger as they pursue a gold medal at the Tokyo Games.
