‘Built for this moment’ says Noah Eagle after Kelsey Plum’s clutch shots as US avoid disaster for eight straight gold

IT wasn’t pretty, but Team USA came up with the close win over the host country France in the gold medal game on Sunday.

An NBC commentator applauded US’s Kelsey Plum’s efforts at the end of the contest as Team USA won narrowly 67-66 in the Paris Olympics .

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Team USA ‘s A’Ja Wilson showed up and put together a stellar performance to give the Americans their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal in women’s basketball .

The Las Vegas Aces star scored a team-high 21 points including 13 rebounds and four blocks.

But Plum was one of the unsung heroes of the game, coming up with 12 points off the bench, including hitting both of her free throws with 12 seconds left in the game, pushing the U.S.’s lead to 65-61.

NBC broadcaster Noah Eagle, the son of iconic broadcaster Ian, gave props for her clutch shots.

“Built for this moment,” Eagle said on the broadcast after she made the attempts.

The game wasn’t over, however, as France ‘s Gabby Williams drained a three-pointer to cut the Americans’ lead to one.

Team USA had to make two more free throw attempts after a France intentional foul.

And just like Plum, Kahleah Cooper would deliver with two free throws to make it a 67-64 lead.

Williams swished a two-pointer close to the 3-point line at the buzzer, but it wasn’t enough.

US women would win their 61st straight Olympic game.

Team USA’s performance in the first half was mostly disappointing, however, as they committed 14 turnovers in the first 20 minutes.

Luckily for them, they were tied 25-25 at halftime.

But France then scored 10 straight points to start the third quarter, and US head coach Cheryl Reeve was forced to call a timeout.

The Americans then woke up and took a two-point lead entering the fourth quarter.

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Both teams would go back and forth before the US secured the victory.

“We just knew what we had to do,” Wilson said after the game.

“We believed in each other and that’s the greatest thing about it.”

The Aces star Plum earned her second gold medal of her Olympic career.

Team USA also got contributions from bench player Kahleah Copper, who registered 12 points in 22 minutes of work.

The US committed 19 turnovers and shot just 34 percent from the floor.

But they did defend well, allowing France to shoot 32 percent.

While American legend Diana Taurasi didn’t play in the gold medal game, the 42-year-old received her sixth Olympic title.

Taurasi remains the most decorated Olympic basketball, and she has six Olympic golds.

Team USA’s women’s basketball gold gave the nation its 40th and final medal of that variety which topped the Olympic table ahead of rival China.