USA Basketball’s 5×5 team will kick off an exhibition against Germany in London this afternoon, getting in one last tune-up before the Summer Olympics begin.
The US is aiming for an eighth-straight gold medal this year, with group stage play starting on July 29th.
US to use All-Star loss as fuel
After the weekend’s All-Star Game loss, the Olympians are prepared to make a comeback. They secured their Tokyo gold medal immediately after losing the first Team USA vs. Team WNBA All-Star Game in 2021.
Breanna Stewart, who led Team USA with a 31-point, 10-rebound double-double on Saturday, mentioned that the defeat “is going to help us tremendously. We don’t get that many game opportunities, [and now] we can go back and watch the film and focus on how we can continue to be better.”
Today’s game against Germany will see the US focus on tightening their defense, especially in the paint. They’ll also emphasize their positional versatility before heading to Paris.
Olympic debutants Germany enter first US clash
The exhibition marks the first-ever US-Germany matchup. The German team will make their Olympic debut in Paris after years of struggling to qualify for major international competitions. Their sixth-place finish in the 2023 EuroBasket tournament led them to February’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, where they earned a spot in the 2024 Games.
Leading Germany’s campaign was two-time WNBA All-Star Satou Sabally, who had career-high statistics in points, rebounds, assists, and steals with Dallas last season. Her performance in Germany’s crucial 73-71 Olympic qualifying win against Brazil was instrumental in securing their Olympic berth.
Other key players to watch on the German team include 2022 NY Liberty draft-pick Nyara Sabally, who is also Sabally’s sister, and Liberty sharpshooter Leonie Fiebich.
Where to watch the Team USA vs. Germany game
The exhibition game starts at 3 PM ET with live coverage on FS1.
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