The women’s basketball teams of the USA and Nigeria will be challenged at the end
US women’s basketball team aims to win Olympic gold for the eighth time in a row
WNBA viewership is at an all-time high, and the U.S. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team is hoping to continue its Olympic dominance.
The game was over as far as the final result was concerned.
The U.S. team was on track to defeat Nigeria in the quarterfinals of the women’s basketball tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Then things got a little tricky.
With seconds left and the U.S. team leading by 17 points, Phoenix Mercury star Kahleah Copper ran out the shot clock near the halfway line and handed the ball off to Nigeria with 6.7 seconds left.
It is an unwritten rule not to try to score a goal when the game is essentially over.
Nigeria’s Ezinne Kalu could have done the same, but didn’t. With Copper covering, Kalu rushed to the basket and scored with two seconds left.
In response, Copper threw the ball and hit Kalu in the leg. This caused Kalu to charge at Copper, who turned around and a referee immediately stepped between them. The fans booed after the game.
As players from both teams began shouting at each other on the field, Kalu, 32, a New Jersey native who played college football at Savannah State, approached Cheryl Reeve, the U.S. team coach, and made a comment about Copper throwing the ball.
Copper was cautioned for a technical foul. Amy Okonkwo converted the technical free throw for Nigeria and time expired as Team USA won 88-74. Team USA will face Australia in the semifinals of the tournament on Friday.
While the two teams traditionally congratulated each other, Kalu went to Breanna Stewart of Team USA and had a brief chat with her.
Everything seemed to be going well, but there was a clear reaction on social media to this last game.
Some say Copper should never have thrown the ball. Others say that since Copper ran out the shot clock on the previous play, Kalu should have done the same since the game was essentially over.
Nigeria had nothing to gain in terms of points difference as this was the knockout round. Points difference in the group stage can determine quarter-final placement but will not play a role in the tournament from the quarter-finals onwards.
Some criticize this “unwritten rule” and believe that teams should play until the last second.
This was a historic run for Nigeria as they became the first African team, men’s or women’s, to make it to the basketball quarterfinals. On social media, this is being seen as part of the narrative that Nigeria will see the game through to the end.
The fans cheered the Nigerians when they scored a goal, even when they were far behind the Americans.
The US national team is the clear favorite for the gold medal. The women’s national team has now won an incredible 59 games in a row in Olympic competition and is aiming for a historic eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal.
The recent victory was tricky in the end and some say it could have been avoided on both sides.
Have an opinion on the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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