Sports

U. S. girls's hoops squashes Nigeria, arrives at Olympic semis

.Brian Windhorst, ESPN Elderly Person WriterAug 7, 2024, 05:28 PM ETCloseESPN.com NBA article writer considering that 2010.Dealt With Cleveland Cavs for 7 years.Writer of two booksPARIS-- The blend of A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart has actually proven to become a devasting combo for the Team United States ladies, to the point where there is actually a situation developing that they could share the Olympics The majority of Prized Possession Gamer Award.But there is actually a brand-new duo surfacing, though not an unusual one, that is actually shown to be a big improvement as the Americans work toward yet another gold medal.Las Las vega Aces colleagues Kelsey Plum as well as Jackie Youthful have improved to become difference-makers in France and played essential functions in Team United States's 88-74 success over Nigeria in the quarterfinals.It signified the staff's 59th consecutive Olympic triumph as well as establishes a semifinal matchup versus Australia, champions over Serbia Wednesday, on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.Jackie Youthful do with double-digit points for the second upright video game, firing 60% from the field in the United States' sway Nigeria. CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockCoach Cheryl Reeve moved Youthful right into the starting sequence instead of veteran Diana Taurasi against Nigeria, a staff known for participating in high pressure full-court self defense that challenges setting against guards.It was actually a reward after Youthful racked up 19 points along with 4 takes off the bench in the ultimate pool play video game against Germany. She answered with yet another exceptional efficiency, having fun with electricity at each points along with one more Aces teammate, Chelsea Gray, in the backcourt.Young scored 15 points and also assisted hold the USA offense early in the activity as the Americans left to a little a slow beginning by their standards.Nigeria lagged through merely 4 aspects midway with the 2nd quarter. That is actually when Reeve mosted likely to Plum, that was actually the 12th as well as final player to go into the ready the Americans. Plum right away changed the game along with her death and rate on the annoying end, serving up 3 fast helps and also nailing a 3-pointer. Plum completed with only six factors yet her six-minute change to end up the very first fifty percent caused a plus-11 on the scoreboard to press the cause 19 at half. The USA then started the 2nd fifty percent on a 15-0 operate as well as the stress was done for the evening.Editor's Picks1 RelatedWilson and also Stewart, who entered into the game balancing a matching 20.3 points every video game, played their brand of competent oppressor sphere. Wilson put in twenty points on 9-of-11 shooting along with 11 rebounds and also 2 blocks. Stewart possessed thirteen aspects on 5-of-7 capturing with 5 rebounds as well as three assists.Brittney Griner went over the seat to rating 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting. Those three indoor scorers integrating for 16-of-21 is actually hard to beat.The USA got into the video game averaging 29 assists and once more applied a ball-sharing facility by putting together 31 more.Promise Amukamara led Nigeria, which reduced the top to as low as 13 in the fourth one-fourth, with 19 points. The game finished along with a little bit of edge when the united state's Kahleah Copper received a technological filthy for tossing the ball at Nigeria's Ezinne Kalu after she racked up in the final secs.