Team USA’s women’s basketball team dominated Japan 102-76 in their Paris Olympic opener at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Monday. Despite a lackluster outside shooting night, the U.S. women leaned heavily on their interior game to secure the victory.
The American team, led by WNBA MVPs A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, showcased their dominance in the paint against a smaller Japanese squad. The game plan focused on exploiting this size advantage, a strategy that Wilson later described as “punishing.”
“We tried to punish them,” Wilson saud post-game, as reported by Ben Golliver of The Washington Post “Points in the paint and controlling the paint are going to be huge for us going forward. If we can continue that, we’re going to be in good shape.”
The Americans outscored Japan 64-22 in the paint, a critical factor given their poor shooting from beyond the arc. The U.S. managed just 4-for-20 (20%) from three-point range, while Japan fared better with 15-for-39 (38.5%). However, the relentless focus on inside scoring and rebounding—where they held a 56-27 advantage—ensured the Americans remained in control.
Coach Cheryl Reeve stressed the importance of sticking to the game plan during halftime. U.S. guard Sabrina Ionescu recalled Reeve’s instructions: “She told us to not get bored with what was working inside.”
Wilson was instrumental from the start, scoring eight of Team USA’s first 10 points. Her performance included a sequence where she made a jumper, blocked a shot and hit another jumper, setting the tone for the game. She finished with a team-high 24 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and four blocks.
A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart form an unstoppable force for Team USA
Stewart also had an impressive outing, contributing 22 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Together, Wilson and Stewart formed an unstoppable force in the paint.
The game highlighted the disparity between the two teams, a stark contrast to their closely contested gold medal match at the Tokyo Olympics. This time, Japan’s reliance on three-point shooting kept them competitive for only the first half. The U.S. team’s interior dominance and rebounding eventually wore them down.
While the American squad aims for their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal, the absence of Caitlin Clark, a rising star and fan favorite, was notable. Clark, known for her record-breaking college career and sensational WNBA debut, was a hot topic even as she was not part of the 12-player roster.
At Monday’s game, two German fans, Felicia and Judy, sported matching Iowa shirts with Clark’s name and No. 22. They enjoyed the game and praised the U.S. team’s performance but missed seeing Clark play.
“Of course we wanted to see her play,” Felicia said. “We’ve been following her since high school.”
Despite the quieter-than-expected atmosphere in the arena, with much of the support favoring Japan, the U.S. players remained unfazed. Veteran guard Diana Taurasi commented about the pro-Japan crowd, acknowledging their energetic style.
“I was rooting for Japan, too,” Taurasi quipped.
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