The USWNT met the Japan National team in a rematch of the 2020 Olympic Finals, and although they came away with the victory, it took the US the first half of the game to settle down and find some consistency. The squad from Japan came out in much the same way as in their last meeting; lightning fast, swarming defense, and killer 3s. Even with a 50-39 lead at the half, the US needed that break to find their rhythm, which they did.
After the break, the US found its form, and the rough edges started to smooth out. The US dominated in the paint, outscoring Japan 64-22. The US assisted on 35 of 42 shots, while Japan had 23 of 28 shots.
Make no mistake, this is a very strong and efficient Japanese team. Even with an abundance of fouls, they were never deterred in their effort to make a statement. Obviously, Japan was at a huge size disadvantage, which made their 3-point shooting even more impactful. They shot 15-39, while the US, with their own skilled three-point shooters, went 4-20.
A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart led the way in scoring for the US. In fact, everyone played and everyone scored. Maki Takada led Japan’s scoring with 24 followed by Mai Yamamoto with 17 and Saori Miyazaki with 12.
The USWNT and the Adjustments Against Japan
What was most impressive, outside of Japan’s three-point prowess, was the way in which the US made the necessary changes at halftime and really began to gel as a team. Unlike other national teams, who have spent more time together, the US did not get nearly enough time together to learn to play together rather than against each other.
Stewie stuffed the stat sheet in her third Olympic opener.
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 29, 2024
🇺🇸 #USABWNT #Paris2024 #Basketball pic.twitter.com/rE63KJttJ8
Their loss to the WNBA All-Stars made that glaringly obvious. But this is an incredibly skilled squad with a lot of basketball smarts, and as the Olympic Games continue, we will likely see an even tighter game from the US.
Each team will have a couple of days until their next games when the US will take on Belgium and Japan will meet an improved Germany. Belgium was upset by Germany 83-69. Belgium, considered one of the better teams in the Olympics, will have a lot of work to do when they take on the US. Equally, the US cannot view Belgium’s loss as an indication of weakness.
Preview of the USWNT and its Olympic Matchup Versus Belgium
With Emma Meesseman at the helm, Belgium will be looking to bounce back, and the Americans will need all their resources in play from the tipoff to contain them. Japan will likewise have to battle the size difference, but their tenacity and shooting skills might be enough to pull out the win. Both the US and Japan play on August 1, with the Japan/Germany game in the morning and the US/Belgium game the last one of the day.
All in all, a good start for the US. It’s only going to get harder from this point, but they are no strangers to adversity. I for one will be eager to see their re-match with Germany. I suspect we will see different versions of their tune-up game.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
Follow Beyond Women’s Sports for more from the world of sports.
