Can Team USA Win Their 8th Straight Gold Medal vs France? Olympics Women’s Basketball Final Prediction & Preview

After two weeks of scintillating action, we are down to our final two! Interestingly, both the men’s and women’s sides of basketball will have the same two countries battling for Gold. In a repeat of the 2012 Gold medal game in the women’s bracket, 9x Olympic champs Team USA will lock horns against the hosts France. While both teams have had their fair share of dominance throughout the tournament, it is worth finding out which unit holds the upper hand heading into the matchup on Sunday.

Unbeaten in the event for almost 3 decades, Team USA came to Paris full of confidence. And things were no different this time around as well. Taking down opponents which included the likes of Japan, Nigeria, and Australia, this group of dynamic women certainly earned the right to be called “The next chapter in The Greatest Dynasty Ever”. Spearheading their campaign is the dream duo of A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.

Both, being worthy MVP contenders, are doing the bulk of the scoring for Team USA. This is evident by the fact that they have accounted for over 40% of the team’s scoring. Wilson is currently the team’s leader delivering 18.2 points per game. Stewart is not too far behind, clinching the 2nd spot in the locker room with 18 PPG.

Providing them ample support is the Las Vegas Aces’ No.0, Jackie Young. Ever since the 6-foot-guard was promoted to the starting line-up in Team USA’s quarterfinal against Nigeria, she has unleashed herself. Providing her services on a whole new level, she has produced a scoring average of 14.5 points along with 3.5 assists while shooting 66.7% from the field as a starter. These contributions have helped the US comfortably win each game so far, extending their historic unbeaten streak in the Olympics to 60 games.

As for Les Bleues, their exhibition has been ‘fantastique’. Currently holding a 4-1 record in the competition, their only loss came against Team USA’s semi-final opponents Australia. Regardless, the silver medalists at the London Olympics have shown they have what it takes to survive crunch situations. If anyone wants proof of that, they can have a look at their overtime thriller against reigning European champions, Belgium, in the semis.

Their No.15 Gabby Williams has been their primary enforcer. She is currently averaging 14.8 points per game and is shooting 49.2% from the field. The other 2 players that Team USA might wanna watch out for are Valeriane Ayayi and Marine Johannes. Both these ballers have thoroughly complemented Williams by producing 9.8 points and 12.2 points per game, respectively. While it’s sorted as to who are the players capable of making an impact, let’s have a look at the ones expected to start the proceedings.

Team USA vs France: Who’ll make the Starting 5?

For Cheryl Reeve, her decision to start with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi has worked wonders in the knockout stages. The past 2 games have resulted in Team USA winning their games by a 14-point (Nigeria) and a 21-point (Australia) margin. It seems she would likely stick to her winning combination. That comprises A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Jackie Young, Napheesa Collier, and Chelsea Gray.

On the other hand, the No.7th ranked team in the world, France, will believe that their opening line-up of Gabby Williams, Valeriane Ayayi, Romane Bernies, Janelle Salaun, and Marieme Badiane can do the job for a second time in a row.

Difficult but not impossible. That would be the obvious mindset for the Les Bleues before entering the fixture against the firm favorites Team USA. And they will have the home conditions favoring them throughout the game. For their opponents, apart from contesting against the players, they’ll also be dealing with a very hostile crowd at the Bercy Arena in Paris. Who will prevail in this upcoming Clash of the Titans? We’ll find out on Sunday with the game starting at 9:30 AM ET/ 6:30 AM PT on NBC and Peacock.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show”. Our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.