FIBA: Can Belgium problem Group USA in Group C?

The ladies’s 5×5 basketball competitors begins Sunday, July 28 and concludes Sunday, August 11 with the gold medal recreation. The sector options 12 nationwide groups, divided into three teams of 4 groups.

Group A: Serbia, Spain, China, Puerto Rico

Group B: Canada, Nigeria, Australia, France

Group C: Germany, United States, Japan, Belgium

Group play consists of a single round-robin match, with the first- and second-place groups advancing to the quarterfinals. The highest two third-place groups additionally will advance to the quarters, the place, after a draw, the competitors turns into a single-elimination match, which can start on Wednesday, August 7. Group video games will likely be held at Pierre Malloy Stadium in Lille, France, whereas Accor Enviornment in Paris will host the quarterfinals, semifinals and medal video games.

Right here’s extra on the 4 groups contending to advance out of Group C:

Germany

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Roster: Romy Bear, Emily Bessoir, Freida Buehner, Leonie Fiebich, Luisa Geiselsöder, Marie Gülich, Alina Hartmann, Alexis Peterson, Nyara Sabally, Satou Sabally, Lina Sontag, Alexandra Wilke

Germany’s journey to Paris must be a celebratory one, because the nationwide group has certified for the Olympic Video games for the primary time. Head coach Lisa Thomaidis is bound to depend on the Sabally sisters—2023 WNBA Most Improved Participant Satou of the Dallas Wings and the youthful Nyara of the New York Liberty—in addition to wing Leonie Fiebich, who’s having fun with a profitable WNBA debut season with the Liberty. The German squad additionally claims the abilities of a number of former collegiate standouts, together with two with WNBA expertise in guard Alexis Peterson, who starred at Syracuse (2013-17) and performed one season for the Seattle Storm (2017), and heart Marie Gülich, who was first spherical decide within the 2018 WNBA Draft out of Oregon State (2014-18) and performed for the Phoenix Mercury (2018), Atlanta Dream (2019) and Los Angeles Sparks (2020). Forwards Emily Bessoir and Lina Sontag, each of whom performed for UCLA final season however is not going to be returning to the Bruins, give the Germans extra depth.

United States

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Roster: Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Grey, Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart, Dianna Taurasi, Alyssa Thomas, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Younger

Head coach Cheryl Reeve is tasked with making certain a stacked American squad continues its gold medal custom, as Group USA goals to increase its worldwide dominance with an eighth-straight gold medal. 42-year-old Phoenix Mercury legend Dianna Taurasi, who already has 5 golds in her trophy case, is seeking to declare her sixth (and last?) gold medal. She is supported by WNBA stars with completely different ranges of Olympic expertise. 2023 WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty and nine-time All-Star Brittney Griner of the Mercury are going for the third golds, whereas 5 members of Group USA hope to earn their first 5×5 gold medal.

Japan

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Roster: Asami Yoshida, Mai Yamamoto, Stephanie Mawuli, Evelyn Mawuli, Maki Takada, Saki Hayashi, Yuki Miyazawa, Saori Miyazaki, Rui Machida, Himawari Akaho, Nako Motohashi, Nanako Todo

On the 2020 Olympic Video games, the host Japanese had been the competitors’s most nice shock. Their sharp execution helped them overcome dimension challenges and advance to the gold medal recreation, the place they fell brief in opposition to the USA however received the nationwide program’s first Olympic medal. Matching that silver achievement will likely be a tall job for head coach Toru Onzunka and Akatsuki Japan. Rui Machida, who performed for the Washington Mystics in 2022, stays a sparkplug guard for the Japanese. She’ll be surrounded by high-quality shooters, whereas the Mawuli sisters—Stephanie and Evelyn—will present the group with high-energy inside play.

Belgium

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Roster: Emma Meesseman, Anotnia Delaere, Julie Allemand, Julie Vanloo, Becky Massey, Maxuella Lisowa-Mbaka, Billie Massey, Laure Reismont, Elise Ramette, Bethy Mununga, Kyara Linskens, Ine Joris

Head coach Rachid Meziane and the Belgian Cats enter their second Olympic Video games intent upon claiming their first medal. Ahead Emma Meesseman, a 2019 WNBA champion with the Washington Mystics who starred within the WNBA for seven seasons (2013-17, 2019-20, 2022), stays the regular chief of the Belgian aspect. She’ll be buoyed by a pair of guards with WNBA expertise in Julie Allemand, who has performed for the Indiana Fever (2020) and Chicago Sky (2022), and Julie Vanloo, who has assumed start line guard duties for the Mystics in her first season within the W. Ahead Bethy Mununga, who performed at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (2017-19) and South Florida (2019-22), will give the Cats a presence within the frontcourt.

Group C schedule

Monday, July 29

Germany vs. Belgium (7:30 a.m. ET)

United States vs. Japan (3 p.m. ET)

Thursday, August 1

Japan vs. Germany (5 a.m. ET)

Belgium vs. United States (3 p.m. ET)

Sunday, August 4

Japan vs. Belgium (5 a.m. ET)

Germany vs. United States (11:15 a.m. ET)