PARIS — With only three seconds left in the fourth quarter at Bercy Arena on Sunday, Gabby Williams of France called for the ball and managed to hit a last-second shot.
If it was a 3-pointer, the women’s basketball gold medal game would have gone into overtime, tied at 67. If it was a 2-pointer, Team USA would be celebrating another gold medal momentarily.
“It’s a two,” declared point guard Kelsey Plum. “It has to be a two.”
Most of Team USA was unconcerned — and with good reason. Anyone watching closely could see that Williams had stepped just inside the arc. However, the American players held off their celebrations until the officials confirmed the outcome: the shot was indeed a 2-pointer, the game was finished, and, crucially, the US had claimed gold once again. For the eighth consecutive time.
“It was a sigh of relief,” said guard Sabrina Ionescu.
Having the game come down to the final moments was unfamiliar for Team USA, who were the clear favorites in Paris. The American women had won their previous five games by an average of 18.6 points and never trailed in three of those matches.
However, a tenacious and defense-focused French team, led by Williams, presented the toughest challenge for Team USA during these Olympics. The US, which had averaged 89.8 points per game before Sunday, recorded its lowest score of the tournament in a 67-66 victory, which included 11 lead changes and six ties.
“It was really back and forth for us,” said forward Breanna Stewart. “It was a bit chaotic. But no matter if we played well or not, our goal was to win, and we did. We’re taking home this gold.”
The game wasn’t particularly pretty, nor were the statistics impressive.
In the first half, both teams struggled, shooting under 30 percent from the field. France converted 11 of 40 attempts, while the US made 8 of 28, leaving them tied at 25 by halftime. Although US coach Cheryl Reeve anticipated a low-scoring game due to France’s defensive strength, the extent of the shooting difficulties was surprising.
“We had to face some real gut-check moments,” Reeves said.
France started the second half with a 10-0 run, their biggest of the game, but Team USA quickly responded with an 8-0 run of their own. The teams then exchanged baskets down to the wire, with neither team leading by more than 4 points during the fourth quarter.
“I think what was impressive is that none of us were rattled or lost our composure,” Ionescu said. “We stayed focused and believed our shots would start falling. We were up against a very strong France team, in their home country, and we knew they had the crowd on their side. Sometimes the basket seems larger when you’re at home, so we just had to keep chipping away.”
The US recorded its lowest field goal percentage of the tournament, hitting only 34 percent of their shots. Center A’ja Wilson led the team with 21 points on 6 of 14 shooting (43 percent) over 33 minutes, while Kahleah Copper added 12 points, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter.
“It wasn’t the prettiest game,” Wilson said. “But sometimes those are the ones you have to grind out.”
Cheering for the Americans from courtside were Derrick White, LeBron James, and Bam Adebayo from the gold medal-winning men’s basketball team, along with former Team USA stars Lisa Leslie and Sue Bird.
With this victory, Team USA has extended its Olympic winning streak to 61 games. The American women haven’t lost since 1992 and have medaled in every Olympics since 1976. Their eight consecutive gold medals represent the longest streak in a traditional team sport.
The first-time gold medalists understand the significance of this remarkable legacy.
“I just didn’t want to lose,” Ionescu said. “Recognizing the dynasty built over the years and that they haven’t lost a game, we felt the pressure of that.”
“It was crucial for us to continue the legacy and maintain the gold standard,” Copper added.
For veterans like Stewart, who also secured gold in 2016 and 2020, it’s vital to view each medal as a unique achievement.
“Each one is special,” she noted. “While the 61 wins in a row are impressive, this one holds a unique significance for our group and what we’ve achieved together.”
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