Sports

U. S. women's hoops squashes Nigeria, hits Olympic semis

.Brian Windhorst, ESPN Elderly Person WriterAug 7, 2024, 05:28 PM ETCloseESPN.com NBA author given that 2010.Dealt With Cleveland Cavs for 7 years.Writer of pair of booksPARIS-- The mix of A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart has actually proven to become a devasting mixture for the Team United States girls, to the point where there is actually an instance creating that they can discuss the Olympics A lot of Belongings Gamer Award.But there's a new duo surfacing, though not an unexpected one, that's proved to become a major increase as the Americans pursue an additional gold medal.Las Las vega Aces teammates Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young have actually boosted to become difference-makers in France and also participated in crucial duties in Crew USA's 88-74 success over Nigeria in the quarterfinals.It indicated the staff's 59th successive Olympic success and puts together a semifinal competition versus Australia, winners over Serbia Wednesday, on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.Jackie Young completed with double-digit aspects for the second straight activity, firing 60% coming from the field in the USA' get Nigeria. CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockCoach Cheryl Reeve moved Young into the starting sequence instead of professional Diana Taurasi versus Nigeria, a staff understood for participating in higher tension full-court protection that tests opposing guards.It was a reward after Young racked up 19 aspects with 4 takes off the seat in the last swimming pool play game versus Germany. She answered along with yet another exceptional functionality, playing with electricity at both points together with another Aces ally, Chelsea Gray, in the backcourt.Young racked up 15 points as well as assisted carry the USA outburst early in the video game as the Americans got off to a bit of a slow beginning through their standards.Nigeria lagged through simply four aspects midway by means of the second quarter. That is actually when Reeve visited Plum, that was actually the 12th and also last player to enter into the ready the Americans. Plum instantaneously altered the activity with her passing away and velocity on the annoying point, dishing out three fast helps and toenailing a 3-pointer. Plum completed with simply 6 points but her six-minute change to complete the very first fifty percent led to a plus-11 on the scoreboard to drive the result in 19 at one-half. The USA at that point started the second fifty percent on a 15-0 operate as well as the worry was actually done for the evening.Editor's Picks1 RelatedWilson and also Stewart, who came into the video game balancing a matching 20.3 points per video game, played their brand of skillful tormenter sphere. Wilson put in twenty factors on 9-of-11 shooting with 11 rebounds and also pair of blocks. Stewart had thirteen factors on 5-of-7 capturing along with 5 rebounds as well as 3 assists.Brittney Griner came off the bench to score 11 ideas on 4-of-5 firing. Those 3 internal scorers blending for 16-of-21 is actually tough to beat.The U.S. got in the activity balancing 29 aids and also again applied a ball-sharing center by putting together 31 more.Promise Amukamara led Nigeria, which cut the lead to as reduced as 13 in the fourth quarter, along with 19 scores. The video game ended with a little upper hand when the united state's Kahleah Copper obtained a technical repulsive for throwing the reception at Nigeria's Ezinne Kalu after she racked up in the final seconds.