C-NS grad Breanna Stewart earns second gold medal of career as Team USA beats Japan in Tokyo Olympics

Stewie Gold

United States's Breanna Stewart, center, and teammates A'Ja Wilson, left, and Napheesa Collier pose with their gold medals during the medal ceremony for women's basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)AP

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North Syracuse native Breanna Stewart delivered another winning performance on Saturday night, helping the United States women’s basketball team to a win in the gold-medal game against Japan.

Team USA earned a 90-75 victory, with Stewart helping across virtually every statistical category. She finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, along with five assists, four steals and three blocks. She led Team USA in rebounds, steals and minutes. Brittney Griner led the Americans in scoring with 30 points.

The gold medal is the second in the 26-year-old Stewart’s young career, and it continues an incredible string of winning over the past 365 days. Over the past year Stewart has also won WNBA and EuroLeague titles, along with the postseason MVP in each of those competitions. Stewart’s Seattle Storm team also has the best record in the current WNBA season.

The win helped the Americans to their seventh consecutive gold medal in women’s basketball and their 55th consecutive win in Olympic competition.

Stewart became one of 25 American players who have won multiple gold medals since the sport was made an Olympic sport in 1976. Both Stewart and Griner joined that list with Saturday night’s win. Teammates Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi won their fifth gold medal to jump to the top of that list.

With each accolade Stewart piles up it becomes more obvious that a generation of women in Central New York grew up competing with and inspired by one of the best players in the sport’s history.

Here is the elite list of players that Stewart and Griner joined.

5: Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi

4: Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie, Tamika Catchings, Sylvia Fowles

3: Sheryl Swoops, Dawn Staley, Katie Smith, Seimone Augustus, Tina Charles

2: Ruthie Bolton, Candace Parker, Anne Donovan, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Angel McCoughtry, Tina Thompson, DeLisha Milton-Jones, Swin Cash, Yolanda Griffith, Katrina McClain, Breanna Stewart, Nikki McCray, Brittney Griner.

MORE BREANNA STEWART:

Brushes with greatness: As Breanna Stewart goes for gold, CNY athletes share their meetings with the star

Q&A with Breanna Stewart on SI Sportsperson of the Year, life in Siberia, finding motivation

Breanna Stewart will become 10th WNBA player to receive ‘signature’ shoe after signing with Puma

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