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The best player in the world, A’ja Wilson, gave a heroic performance to lead the United States to a thrilling gold medal win over the host country France.
Wilson had 21 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks in Team USA’s 67-66 win. She was named tournament MVP for her efforts.
The US struggled with turnovers and poor shooting for most of the game and trailed by 10 early in the third quarter. But Wilson willed the Americans back into the game and hit a pair of free throws at the end of the quarter to give the USA a two-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
Team USA has now won 61 consecutive Olympic games and eight consecutive gold medals. They haven’t lost a game since 1992 in Barcelona.
The game was the final event of the 2024 Olympics, which became significant. The gold medal gave the United States 40 golds and a tie with China for most golds in the Paris Olympics. The USA had many more silver and bronze medals and won the overall count 126-91.
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Wilson set a USA Basketball record for blocks in a single Olympics with 16. She broke the previous record of 14, set by Lisa Leslie in 2004. Wilson is also the career leader in average blocks per game at 2.3. Her 27 career blocks rank second all-time behind Leslie’s 37.
Wilson previously set the record for blocks in a game when she blocked five shots against Japan at the Tokyo Olympics.
Wilson averaged 18.7 points for the Olympics, the second-highest scoring average in Team USA history (Leslie – 19.5, 1996). Her career Olympic scoring average is now 17.6, the best ever for an American.
Wilson averaged 10.2 rebounds for the Olympics, the second-best average ever (Katrina McClain – 10.4, 1988). Wilson also moved into eighth in career rebounds with 105. Her career average of 8.8 is also second-highest. Her four double-doubles were an American record.
Wilson began the Olympics with back-to-back 20-point, 10-rebound games. Coach Cheryl Reeve began resting Wilson in the second half of blowouts, but she still managed another 20/10 game against Nigeria. Then she saved her best game for the biggest stage.
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Laeticia Amihere also appeared in her second Olympics. Her Canadian team had a disappointing showing, going 0-3 in group play. The Canadians lost 75-54 to France, 70-65 to Australia, and 79-70 to Nigeria. Amihere averaged 2.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 5.7 minutes per game, but did have seven points and 11 rebounds against Nigeria.
Wilson is the Gamecocks’ first two-time gold-medal winner. Shannon Johnson won in 2004 and Allisha Gray won gold in 3X3 in 2020. She joined Tatyana Troina (Belarus, 2008 and 2016) and Amihere (Canada, 2020 and 2024) as the only Gamecocks with multiple Olympic appearances.
Of course, they all trail Dawn Staley. She won three golds as a player (1996, 2000, and 2004), was an assistant coach on the 2008 and 2016 gold medal teams, and was the head coach of the 2020 gold medal team.
Two other former Gamecocks have played in the Olympics: Ilona Burgrova (Czech Republic, 2012) and Iva Sliskovic (Croatia, 2012).
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