Peaking U.S. women destroy Australia to advance to gold medal game

With a hostile crowd ahead in Paris, the Americans’ pursuit of an eighth straight gold shows no signs of slowing down.

United States’ Breanna Stewart, left, and Brittney Griner slap hands during Friday’s victory over Australia. (Michael Conroy/AP)

The U.S. women’s basketball juggernaut has pulled within one win of its eighth straight gold medal, prompting awed observers to wonder: Will A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and company emerge victorious from the Paris Olympics without ever being truly challenged?

There wasn’t more than 15 minutes of adversity in the United States’ 85-64 semifinal shellacking of Australia at Bercy Arena on Friday. By the time the arena disc jockey cued up Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” for a bit of jumbotron karaoke, the Americans had built an 18-point halftime lead and robbed the underdogs of any hope. Such is life when Wilson and Stewart continue to control the tournament and when guard Jackie Young, promoted to the starting lineup for the knockout round, keeps lighting up whoever is guarding her.