On the evening of August 1st, in the second round of the Olympic women’s basketball group stage competition, the host French women’s basketball team defeated Nigeria with a score of 75-54 to secure their second consecutive victory.
In the opening stages of the game, standout performances by Ayai and Williams of the French team helped them establish a 7-point lead. However, Nigeria did not back down, with Kalu scoring both inside and outside the arc, keeping the score close. Following this, a series of three-point shots from Johnnes of France and a corresponding response from Okonko on the outside of Nigeria narrowed the gap to 7 points for France. Nigeria’s Musa then scored a 2+1, sparking a mini-rally that reduced the difference to 2 points. In critical moments, Williams stepped up again, helping France maintain their composure. At halftime, France maintained their 7-point advantage.
In the second half of the match, Nigeria suddenly experienced a power outage, allowing France to extend their lead to double digits. Despite Nigeria’s desperate attempts to catch up in the final quarter, Johnnes’ consistent three-point shooting prevented Nigeria from narrowing the score gap. The game was effectively decided early on.
Throughout the entire game, only two players from the French women’s basketball team reached double-digit scores, but all 12 players had the opportunity to play, with Michelle being the only one who did not score. Williams had an exceptionally well-rounded performance today, starting the game and playing for 23 minutes, making 10 shots out of 7, with no three-point shots made (2/0), no free throws made (3/0), and contributing 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists, along with 6 steals, 3 turnovers, and 1 foul, resulting in a positive rating of +6. Additionally, Johnnes, who played as a substitute, had an excellent outside shooting performance, making all her shots from the outside, with 5 out of 9 three-point shots, earning her the highest score of the team at 15 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists, along with 1 steal, 4 turnovers, and 3 fouls, resulting in a positive rating of +5.