Olympics 2021 updates: U.S. A-Team wins beach volleyball gold; USA women reach hoops finals and more from Tokyo

There are precious few days left at the Olympic Games, and the U.S. women’s basketball team is one step closer to another gold medal.

Team USA’s frontcourt duo of Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner combined for 27 points and 22 rebounds as America cruised past Serbia 79-59 to advance to the gold-medal game (Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET) against the winner of Japan and France.

They hope to be among the last USA squads to bring home the gold. One duo that did: the A-Team, April Ross and Alix Klineman.

Ross and Klineman capped their Olympic run with a gold medal in beach volleyball, defeating the Australian duo of Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar 21-15, 21-16.

Americans could win gold medals and both men’s and women’s golf. After Xander Schauffele won the men’s title, Nelly Korda holds a three-shot lead in the women’s tournament entering the fourth round, which is set to be played as early as possible Saturday before a tropical storm in the forecast is scheduled to arrive.

Olympics medal tracker | Schedule

Here’s all the best action from Tokyo:

Rushing to the gold-medal game

The U.S. women’s basketball team will officially have a chance to extend its dynasty and win its seventh straight Olympic gold medal.

Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner both recorded double-doubles while Sue Bird filled out the score sheet with eight points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals as America defeated Serbia 79-59 to reach the gold-medal game.

The U.S., which hasn’t lost an Olympic game since the 1992 Games (when America won bronze), will play the winner of Japan and France on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET.

A-Team wins a gold

The USA is atop the beach volleyball world again. The A-Team of April Ross and Alix Klineman swept Australia’s duo of Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar 21-15, 21-16 as the U.S. won the gold medal for the fourth time in the past five Olympics.

Ross won a silver medal with Jennifer Kessy in 2012, losing to Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings in the final. In 2016, she teamed with Walsh Jennings but ultimately won bronze.

Another USA volleyball win

Ross and Klineman’s victory on the sand wasn’t the only American volleyball win. The U.S. women won their indoor volleyball match against Serbia in straight sets, advancing to the gold-medal match against the winner of Brazil and South Korea (12:30 a.m. ET Sunday).

Biles returns home

Simone Biles, fresh off winning a silver in the team all-around and bronze in the individual balance beam, returned home to Houston to a rousing welcome.

One more backflip in store?

Gable Steveson, an NCAA wrestling champion at 285 pounds, will have a chance to win gold in the men’s freestyle at 125kg. He is known for celebrating his victories with a backflip — which is impressive for anyone, let alone a wrestler of his size. Does he have one more celebration in store?

Nailed it

Details are key — especially when it comes to nails. And some U.S. stars, from Simone Biles to Alex Morgan, represented the red, white and blue on their fingertips.

Source: Read Full Article