U.S. women clinch quarterfinal berth and stretch Olympic win streak to 57 straight

VILLENEUVE-D'ASCQ, France (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 26 points and the U.S. beat Belgium 87-74 on Thursday night, clinching a spot in the Olympic quarterfinals.

A'ja Wilson added 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Americans, who have a 57-game Olympic winning streak that dates to the 1992 Barcelona Games. This was one of the closer games during the historic run of seven consecutive gold medals. Only three contests have been single-digit victories.

The Americans (2-0) faced a loud, spirited pro-Belgium crowd that made up most of the 25,044 in attendance. The arena is about 30 minutes away from the country's border. The two teams met in a pre-Olympic qualifying tournament in February in Belgium, and the U.S. needed a tip-in from Stewart at the buzzer to come away with that win.

On Thursday, Belgium once again tested the Americans like few teams have done during their unprecedented Olympic run.

The U.S. built an early 13-point lead behind Stewart, but Belgium cut it to eight at the half and closed to 50-46 in the third quarter.

The Americans led 60-53 heading into the fourth and then scored eight of the first 10 points to go up 13. Antonia Delaere tried to keep Belgium in the game with consecutive 3’s, but it wasn’t enough.

Emma Meesseman scored 24 points and Delaere added 16 for Belgium (0-2), which needs to win its final game against Japan to have any shot of advancing to the elimination round. Julie Vanloo had 11.

The U.S. closes out pool play on Sunday against Germany, which also is 2-0.

In other games on Thursday, Germany and France both advanced to the quarterfinals with wins over Japan and Nigeria respectively. Australia topped Canada to keep its hopes of advancing alive.

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Belgium's Elisa Ramette, center, celebrates with teammates from the bench after they scored during a women's basketball game against the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Belgium's Elisa Ramette celebrates from the bench after the scored during a women's basketball game against the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Belgium's Antonia Delaere, right, shoots as United States' Alyssa Thomas defends during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

United States' Brittney Griner, left, and Belgium's Emma Meesseman reach for a rebound in a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

United States' Brittney Griner, left, pushes toward the basket as Belgium's Emma Meesseman defends during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

United States' Brittney Griner, right, and Belgium's Emma Meesseman reach for a rebound in a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

United States' Brittney Griner, left, shoots as Belgium's Emma Meesseman defends in a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

United States' Sabrina Ionescu, right, shoots as Belgium's Kyara Linskens, center, defends in a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, Pool)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday launched his family's cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial, with an interview on the X social media platform in which he also gave his first public comments on the apparent assassination attempt against him a day earlier.

Trump did not discuss specifics about World Liberty Financial or how it would work, pivoting from questions about cryptocurrency to talking about artificial intelligence or other topics. Instead, he recounted his experience Sunday, saying he and a friend playing golf “heard shots being fired in the air, and I guess probably four or five.”

“I would have loved to have sank that last putt,” Trump said. He credited the Secret Service agent who spotted the barrel of a rifle and began firing toward it as well as law enforcement and a civilian who he said helped track down the suspect.

World Liberty Financial is expected to be a borrowing and lending service used to trade cryptocurrencies, which are forms of digital money that can be traded over the internet without relying on the global banking system. Exchanges often charge fees for withdrawals of Bitcoin and other currencies.

Other speakers after Trump, including his eldest son, Don Jr., talked about embracing cryptocurrency as an alternative to what they allege is a banking system tilted against conservatives.

Experts have said a presidential candidate launching a business venture in the midst of a campaign could create ethical conflicts.

“Taking a pro-crypto stance is not necessarily troubling; the troubling aspect is doing it while starting a way to personally benefit from it,” Jordan Libowitz, a spokesperson for the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said earlier this month.

During his time in the White House, Trump said he was “not a fan” of cryptocurrency and tweeted in 2019, “Unregulated Crypto Assets can facilitate unlawful behavior, including drug trade and other illegal activity." However, during this election cycle, he has reversed himself and taken on a favorable view of cryptocurrencies.

He announced in May that his campaign would begin accepting donations in cryptocurrency as part of an effort to build what it calls a “crypto army” leading up to Election Day. He attended a bitcoin conference in Nashville this year, promising to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet” and create a bitcoin “strategic reserve” using the currency that the government currently holds.

Hilary Allen, a law professor at American University who has done research on cryptocurrencies, said she was skeptical of Trump's change of heart on crypto.

“I think it’s fair to say that that reversal has been motivated in part by financial interests,” she said.

Crypto enthusiasts welcomed the shift, viewing the launch as a positive sign for investors if Trump retakes the White House.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has not offered policy proposals on how it would regulate digital assets like cryptocurrencies.

In an effort to appeal to crypto investors, a group of Democrats, including Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, participated in an online “Crypto 4 Harris” event in August.

Neither Harris nor members of her campaign staff attended the event.

Gomez Licon contributed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump waves as he boards a plane at Harry Reid International Airport after a campaign trip, Saturday, Sept.14, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)