A'ja Wilson, US women hold off France to win eighth straight Olympic basketball gold medal

PARIS (AP) — The U.S. women's basketball team had never been challenged during its 32-year run in the Olympics like the Americans were Sunday by France.

They met the moment and made history, winning an eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal.

It was the closest — and maybe sweetest win — of any during the streak.

“Maybe they won’t say it's just easy and we walk in and just win gold,” said U.S. center Brittney Griner. who broke down in tears when she was presented her third gold medal. “Maybe they’ll stop saying that, because, like I said, we see everybody’s best shot. And we saw the shot that France gave us.”

A'ja Wilson scored 21 points and the U.S. survived a last-second shot by former UConn standout Gabby Williams that was just inside the 3-point line to hold off France for a 67-66 win and an eighth consecutive gold.

“Eight straight golds is insane honestly,” said Breanna Stewart. “Each one is so different, and so, so special and so, so hard.”

No team had been able to push the Americans during their impressive streak of 61 consecutive wins. Only two of those victories had been by single digits before the game against France.

“It’s amazing. It truly is a dynasty that we have built here at USAB has been incredible," Wilson said. "And I am so proud of the resilience that my team showed. We could have fumbled it many times, but we pulled through. To say I am a two-time gold medalist, I am so blessed.”

The eight straight golds broke a tie with the American men’s program that won seven in a row from 1936-68. The women’s victory came less than 24 hours after the U.S. men’s team also beat France in the basketball title game.

This was the first time in Olympic history that both gold medal basketball games featured teams from the same two countries.

Unlike the men's game, this one came down to the final second and one last shot.

The Americans were up 67-64 with 3.9 seconds left after Kahleah Copper hit two free throws. Marine Johannes brought the ball up the court and passed it to Williams, who caught the ball just inside the 3-point line and banked in a shot over the outstretched arms of Breanna Stewart at the buzzer.

There was a brief delay before the officials signaled that it was indeed a two-point shot, which sparked a celebration and a lot of happy hugs for the Americans and left the French players standing in disbelief after falling just short.

“I knew it was a two-pointer straight away. It was very difficult for me to stop in time,” Williams said. “I don’t think we should hold our head down. There’s a little bit of disappointment. But once that pill has been swallowed, we can celebrate the silver medal. What we’ve done is inspirational.”

The American players went to celebrate with basketball celebrities sitting courtside, a group that included men's basketball players LeBron James, Bam Adebayo and Derrick White, along with U.S. women’s greats Lisa Leslie, Sue Bird and Dawn Staley.

Williams, who finished with 19 points, had hit a deep 3 a few seconds earlier to get France within one before Copper’s free throws. She got a consoling hug from Staley.

“What a tremendous basketball game. The 12,000-plus that were here were just treated to an unbelievable environment and the level of athleticism and competitiveness that these players had,” U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve said. “What a better way to finish the Paris Olympics than to see that?

"We feel really fortunate, happy, a lot of words. There’s a lot of trust that has to happen, so I’m just thrilled that we’re able to get a win.”

The victory gave Diana Taurasi a sixth consecutive gold medal, making her the most decorated basketball player in Olympic history, breaking a tie with longtime teammate Sue Bird, who won five.

Taurasi, who didn’t play in the gold medal game, has been humble about the potential record, saying she cares more about the team winning then her individual success.

It’s been a trying Olympics for her as she didn’t start any of the knockout phase games, the first time she wasn’t in the opening lineup since the 2004 Olympics.

Australia edged Belgium 85-81 in the bronze medal game earlier Sunday.

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

The United States team poses for a picture with their gold medals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

United States' Kelsey Plum (5) celebrates after a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

United States' Brittney Griner (15) and United States' Chelsea Gray (8) celebrate after a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

United States' Sabrina Ionescu (6) celebrates after a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

United States' Brittney Griner (15) United States' Kahleah Copper (7) and United States' Kelsey Plum (5) celebrate after a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The United States team celebrates after a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The United States team celebrates after winning gold medals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

United States' A'ja Wilson (9) battles to shoot for goal as Dominique Malonga (14), of France, and Sarah Michel Boury (10), of France, attempt to block, during a women's gold medal basketball game between the United States and France at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (Aris Messinis/Pool Photo via AP)

United States' Napheesa Collier (11) and Marine Fauthoux (4), of France, go after a loose ball during a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

United States' Jackie Young (13) and Marieme Badiane (22), of France, go after a loose ball during a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Marieme Badiane (22), of France, reacts during a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

United States' A'ja Wilson (9) shoots for a basket during a women's gold medal basketball game between the United States and France at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, Pool)

Marieme Badiane, right, (22), of France, shoots for a basket as United States' Breanna Stewart, left, (10) and United States' A'ja Wilson (9) attempt to block during a women's gold medal basketball game between the United States and France at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, Pool)

United States' Kelsey Plum (5) reacts after a three pointer during a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Taiwanese company Gold Apollo said Wednesday that it authorized its brand on the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria but that another company based in Budapest manufactured them.

Hundreds of handheld pagers exploded almost simultaneously Tuesday across Lebanon and in parts of Syria, killing at least nine people, government and Hezbollah officials said. Officials pointed the finger at Israel in what appeared to be a sophisticated remote attack. The Israeli military declined to comment.

Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that sparked the Israel-Hamas war. Since then, Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire daily, coming close to a full-blown war on several occasions and forcing tens of thousands on both sides of the border to evacuate their homes.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its count but says a little over half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Here's the latest:

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says four soldiers were killed in southern Gaza and five others were wounded, with three of them in serious condition.

The deaths on Tuesday came nearly a year into the war in Gaza, which was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The army did not describe the circumstances, but Israeli media reported that the soldiers were killed by a hidden bomb that exploded inside a building.

One of the four, Staff Sgt. Agam Naim, an army paramedic, was the first female soldier to have been killed in combat in Gaza, according to Israeli media.

Hamas and other armed groups remain active across the territory despite months of heavy Israeli bombardment and ground operations that have destroyed vast areas and displaced most of the population.

Israel says 346 of its soldiers have been killed since the start of ground operations last October. The military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwanese company Gold Apollo said Wednesday that it authorized its brand on the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria but that another company based in Budapest manufactured them.

Pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded near-simultaneously Tuesday in Lebanon and Syria, killing at least nine people, including an 8-year-old girl, and wounding more than 2,000. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel for what appeared to be a sophisticated remote attack.

The AR-924 pagers used by the militants were manufactured by BAC Consulting KFT, based in Hungary’s capital, according to a statement released Wednesday by Gold Apollo.

“According to the cooperation agreement, we authorize BAC to use our brand trademark for product sales in designated regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are solely the responsibility of BAC,” the statement read.

Gold Apollo chair Hsu Ching-kuang told journalists Wednesday that his company has had a licensing agreement with BAC for the past three years, but did not provide evidence of the contract.

The AR-924 pager, advertised as being “rugged,” contains a rechargeable lithium battery, according to specifications once advertised on Gold Apollo’s website before it was apparently taken down Tuesday after the sabotage attack. It could receive text messages of up to 100 characters and claimed to have up to 85 days of battery life. That’s something that would be crucial in Lebanon, where electricity outages have been common as the tiny nation on the Mediterranean Sea has faced years of economic collapse. Pagers also run on a different wireless network than mobile phones, making them more resilient in emergencies — one of the reasons why many hospitals worldwide still rely on them.

FILE - Israeli soldiers move next to destroyed buildings following Israeli strikes during a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)

Civil Defense first-responders carry a man who was wounded after his handheld pager exploded, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.(AP Photo)

People gather outside the American University hospital after the arrival of several people who were wounded by exploding handheld pagers, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Palestinians in Lebanon wave their national flags during a protest in front of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

People gather around an ambulance carrying wounded people whose handheld pager exploded, at the emergency entrance of the American University hospital in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

The supermoon rises behind the houses in Mas'ade, a village in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Lebanese Red Cross volunteer collects blood donations for those who were injured by their exploded handheld pagers, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, at a Red Cross center in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)