Tuesday's exhibition featured two highly respected national teams, each preparing for the
Paris Olympics through distinct approaches. Unlike the men's USA team, the women's USA
team (players and coaching staff) had less than a week to gather, train, and develop
strategies for the fast-approaching 2024 Paris Olympics.
(Photo credit: USA Basketball)
The WNBA season paused for a mid-season Olympic break on Thursday, July 18th. The
USA national team then assembled for the first time this year on Saturday, July 20th, for a
training session against the WNBA All-Star team. The very next day, Sunday, July 21st, Team
USA faced the WNBA All-Star team in an exhibition showcase.
Following that game, the women's USA national team embarked on an eight-hour journey
from Las Vegas to London for their sole pre-Olympic friendly match against Germany.
In contrast, the German women's national team had been training together for a
considerable time before their game against the USA. Their game preparations began on
Friday, July 12th, when they defeated Portugal 63-45. They continued their momentum with
three more victories, scoring an average of 72 points and conceding an average of 62 points.
Their final preparation game against Great Britain on Sunday, July 21st, was abandoned
while they were leading 54-43.
Additionally, the game against Team USA marked the return of German-Gambian WNBA
superstar Satou Sabally. She had been sidelined with a shoulder injury sustained while
playing for Germany in a FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in February, which was
followed shortly thereafter by a procedure.
To a loud and engaged near-sell-out crowd at The O2, Team USA raced out to a 15-4 lead.
Although they had been together for some weeks, Germany seemed disjointed and unable
to execute their plays despite getting several good looks at the basket.
The synergy between German-Gambian sisters Satou and Nyara Sabally momentarily
bolstered Germany's offence, adding points to their tally. Despite their efforts, reaching
their sixth point took until the last three minutes (15-6).
A brief exchange followed, with WNBA star A'ja Wilson quickly responding before Satou
Sabally nailed her first three-pointer of the game (17-9). Unfortunately for the North
Europeans, that marked their last points of the first period, as Team USA limited them to
under ten points by the end of the quarter (20-9).
In the early part of the second period, Germany showed improvement, starting with a 5-2
run (24-14). Satou Sabally, a key player for Germany, created opportunities for her
teammates, helping them reduce the lead to seven points (27-20).
However, this momentum waned, and the USA extended their lead to ten points (30-20)
after a Nyara Sabally turnover and a steal by Jewell Loyd, who drew a foul on the fast break
and converted one of two free throws.
(Photo credit: USA Basketball)
Lina Sontag secured the defensive rebound following Loyd's missed second free throw.
Shortly after, Satou Sabally missed a pull-up jumper, and A';ja Wilson grabbed the defensive
rebound for the USA. Although Diana Taurasi missed a three-pointer, Wilson's offensive
rebound retained possession. After Nyara Sabally's foul, Wilson made both free throws,
pushing the lead to 32-20.
Germany struggled to find their rhythm as Wilson blocked Nyara Sabally's driving layup.
Despite this, USA's Chelsea Gray missed a pull-up jumper, giving Germany another chance.
However, Leonie Fiebich's turnover for travelling handed the ball back to the USA.
Breanna Stewart then drew a foul on Lina Sontag, making both free throws to push the
score to 34-20. Germany called a timeout, and substitutions were made on both sides upon
resumption. Satou Sabally's missed three-pointer was followed by Sontag's missed layup,
with Wilson again grabbing the defensive rebound. This led to a successful finger roll layup
by Stewart, assisted by Alyssa Thomas, further widening the gap to 36-20.
(Photo credit: USA Basketball)
Germany cut into the lead slightly with a three-pointer from Luisa Geiselsoder, assisted by
Alexis Peterson. However, the USA responded with a step-back three-pointer by Stewart,
assisted by Taurasi, making it 39-23. Satou Sabally scored a driving floater for Germany, but
the USA maintained their lead with solid defence and strategic play.
Breanna Stewart drew a foul on Lina Sontag and made both free throws, pushing the USA's
lead to 34-20. After a German timeout, A'Ja Wilson's defensive rebound set up Stewart for a
finger roll layup, assisted by Alyssa Thomas, extending the lead to 36-20.
Germany's Luisa Geiselsoder hit a three-pointer, but Stewart quickly countered with her
own three, making it 39-23. Satou Sabally's driving floater added two points for Germany,
but the USA's defence held strong.
Chelsea Gray missed a jumper, but Wilson's offensive rebounds maintained pressure. Alexis
Peterson scored for Germany, narrowing the gap to 39-27, but Gray responded with a three-
pointer, assisted by Thomas, pushing the lead to 42-27. Leonie Fiebich's three-pointer made
it 42-30, but Taurasi's bank shot extended the lead. The quarter ended with Nyara Sabally's
two free throws, closing at 44-32 for Team USA.
Team USA extended their lead and kept the press on the Germans in the third quarter.
Starting at 44-32, the quarter ended at 64-50, highlighting the Americans' dominance and
strategic play.
Substitutions saw Alyssa Thomas and Alexandra Wilke replaced by Napheesa Collier and
Satou Sabally. Both teams attempted to play both sides of the ball, with Team USA being the
most successful. Germany's Luisa Geiselsoder missed an early jump shot, and A'Ja Wilson
took advantage of the missed opportunity to grab the subsequent rebound.
Chelsea Gray's long-ball, three-pointer brace set the tone, pushing the score to 47-32.
Despite Germany's efforts, they struggled to find their rhythm. Breanna Stewart's layup and
A'Ja Wilson's free throws further expanded the USA's lead. Diana Taurasi and Wilson's
defensive high IQ stifled Germany's scoring attempts.
(Photo credit: USA Basketball)
During the period's midway point, Germany's Alexis Peterson managed a driving layup and a
free throw, narrowing the gap to 51-36. However, USA's A'Ja Wilson responded with a layup
and a free throw, extending the lead to 54-36.
Germany's Satou Sabally nailed a three-pointer, but the USA countered with A'Ja Wilson's
jump shot, making it 56-41. Despite critical baskets from Germany's Luisa Geiselsoder and
Leonie Fiebich, the USA's relentless offensive pressure, including key assists from Kelsey
Plum and Sabrina Ionescu, maintained their lead. The quarter ended with Team USA leading
64-50 and Germany struggling to find answers.
The quarter began with substitutions for the USA, bringing in Breanna Stewart and Jewell
Loyd. Despite Stewart's initially missed jump shot, her compatriots quickly gained
momentum. Sabrina Ionescu's three-pointer, assisted by Jackie Young, set the pace,
extending the lead to 67-50.
Germany struggled to keep up, missing several shots and committing turnovers. Quickly
capitalising on these mistakes, the Americans saw Ionescu make two free throws after
drawing a foul from Satou Sabally. After that, Jewell Loyd added a step-back jumper,
increasing the lead to 71-52.
Key defensive plays included Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier steals and rebounds
from Stewart and Ionescu. Offensive highlights featured a three-pointer from Jackie Young
and a layup by Alyssa Thomas, assisted by Young, making the score 76-53.
Germany's efforts were thwarted by the USA's relentless defence, with missed shots and
turnovers hampering their progress. Despite a late jumper by Luisa Geiselsoder, Team USA
ended the game with a commanding 84-57 win.
During the post-game press conference, USA Head Coach Cheryl Reeve discussed if the
short turnaround between the pause of the WNBA season and the preparations for the
summer games affected how they strategised for their upcoming group opponents:
“That’s the hardest part. [We] Didn’t have a lot of time to figure it out. [Us coaches] to a lot of pre-work to gain some sense of what we like to do. But what I have learned throughout the years is keeping it simple and doing less is better, so [the players] can be in a place where they’re just playing.”
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