# Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament

The women's tournament of basketball at the 1996 Olympics at Atlanta, United States began on July 21 and ended on August 4, when the United States defeated Brazil 111–87 for the gold medal.

## Participants

* Australia
* Brazil
* Canada
* China
* Cuba
* Japan
* South Korea
* Italy
* Russia
* Ukraine
* United States (Host)
* Zaire

## Format

* Twelve teams are split into 2 preliminary round groups of 6 teams each. The top 4 teams from each group qualify for the knockout stage.
* Fifth and sixth-placed teams from each group are ranked 9th–12th in two additional matches.
* In the quarterfinals, the matchups are as follows: A1 vs. B4, A2 vs. B3, A3 vs. B2 and A4 vs. B1.
** The eliminated teams at the quarterfinals are ranked 5th–8th in two additional matches.
* The winning teams from the quarterfinals meet in the semifinals as follows: A3/B2 vs. A1/B4 and A2/B3 vs. A4/B1.
* The winning teams from the semifinals dispute the gold medal. The losing teams dispute the bronze.
Ties are broken via the following the criteria, with the first option used first, all the way down to the last option:
* Head to head results
* Goal average (not the goal difference) between the tied teams
* Goal average of the tied teams for all teams in its group

## Preliminary round

The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Brazil | 5 | 5 | 0 | 424 | 360 | +64 | 10 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Russia | 5 | 4 | 1 | 378 | 342 | +36 | 9 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Italy | 5 | 3 | 2 | 330 | 309 | +21 | 8 | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | Japan | 5 | 2 | 3 | 365 | 396 | −31 | 7 | Quarterfinals |
| 5 | China | 5 | 1 | 4 | 347 | 378 | −31 | 6 | |
| 6 | Canada | 5 | 0 | 5 | 293 | 352 | −59 | 5 | |
* 21 July 1996 (1996-07-21)
* Boxscore
| Brazil | 69–56 | Canada |
| Pts: Paula, Janeth 17 Rebs: Janeth 8 Asts: Janeth 4 | | Pts: Blackwell 11 Rebs: Smith 7 Asts: Evans 4 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 21 July 1996 (1996-07-21)
* Boxscore
| Japan | 63–73 | Russia |
| Pts: Kato 15 Rebs: Kato 9 Asts: Murakami 6 | | Pts: Baranova 21 Rebs: Baranova 13 Asts: Sumnikova 5 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 21 July 1996 (1996-07-21)
* Boxscore
| Italy | 62–53 | China |
| Pts: Caselin 16 Rebs: Schiesaro 5 Asts: Caselin, Ballabio 3 | | Pts: Li X, Liu J 15 Rebs: three players 5 Asts: Li X, Li D 4 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 23 July 1996 (1996-07-23)
* Boxscore
| China | 72–75 | Japan |
| Pts: Zheng H 31 Rebs: Zheng H 16 Asts: Li X 6 | | Pts: Hagiwara 23 Rebs: Kato 10 Asts: Murakami 4 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 23 July 1996 (1996-07-23)
* Boxscore
| Canada | 54–59 | Italy |
| Pts: Smith 13 Rebs: Smith 7 Asts: Evans 5 | | Pts: Fullin, Ballabio 15 Rebs: Pollini, Tufano 4 Asts: Gardellin 3 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 23 July 1996 (1996-07-23)
* Boxscore
| Russia | 68–82 | Brazil |
| Pts: Rutkovskaya 18 Rebs: Baranova 9 Asts: Zaboluyeva 3 | | Pts: Hortência 20 Rebs: Marta Sobral 9 Asts: three players 4 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 25 July 1996 (1996-07-25)
* Boxscore
| Italy | 70–75 | Russia |
| Pts: Pollini 22 Rebs: Pollini 8 Asts: Fullin 5 | | Pts: Shakirova 24 Rebs: Shakirova, Baranova 12 Asts: Sumnikova 9 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 25 July 1996 (1996-07-25)
| Brazil | 100–80 | Japan |
| Pts: Paula 25 Rebs: Leila 14 Asts: Paula 10 | | Pts: Ichijo 16 Rebs: Nagata, Murakami 5 Asts: Murakami 4 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 25 July 1996 (1996-07-25)
* Boxscore
| Canada | 49–61 | China |
| Pts: three players 8 Rebs: Norman 9 Asts: Evans 5 | | Pts: Zheng H 19 Rebs: Zheng H 16 Asts: Zheng D 4 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 27 July 1996 (1996-07-27)
* Boxscore
| Japan | 52–66 | Italy |
| Pts: Murakami 13 Rebs: Ichijo 9 Asts: Murakami 5 | | Pts: Pollini, Arnetoli 13 Rebs: Fullin 11 Asts: Pollini, Ballabio 3 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 27 July 1996 (1996-07-27)
* Boxscore
| China | 83–98 | Brazil |
| Pts: He J 22 Rebs: Liang X 5 Asts: Zheng D, Liu J 6 | | Pts: Janeth 26 Rebs: three players 9 Asts: Paula 8 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 27 July 1996 (1996-07-27)
* Boxscore
| Russia | 68–49 | Canada |
| Pts: Nikonova 18 Rebs: Baranova 11 Asts: Sumnikova 5 | | Pts: Norman 15 Rebs: Norman 8 Asts: three players 2 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 29 July 1996 (1996-07-29)
* Boxscore
| Russia | 94–78 | China |
| Pts: Baranova 26 Rebs: Baranova 18 Asts: Sumnikova 10 | | Pts: Zheng D, Ma Z 14 Rebs: Liang X 6 Asts: Zheng D 5 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 29 July 1996 (1996-07-29)
* Boxscore
| Italy | 73–75 | Brazil |
| Pts: Bonfiglio 15 Rebs: Pollini 5 Asts: Pollini 4 | | Pts: Janeth 17 Rebs: Marta Sobral 8 Asts: Janeth 5 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 29 July 1996 (1996-07-29)
* Boxscore
| Canada | 85–95 | Japan |
| Pts: Jerant 15 Rebs: Norman 10 Asts: Evans 4 | | Pts: Hagiwara 26 Rebs: Murakami, Ichijo 5 Asts: Murakami, Kato 5 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | United States (H) | 5 | 5 | 0 | 507 | 339 | +168 | 10 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Ukraine | 5 | 3 | 2 | 354 | 358 | −4 | 8 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Australia | 5 | 3 | 2 | 369 | 319 | +50 | 8 | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | Cuba | 5 | 2 | 3 | 365 | 377 | −12 | 7 | Quarterfinals |
| 5 | South Korea | 5 | 2 | 3 | 347 | 389 | −42 | 7 | |
| 6 | Zaire | 5 | 0 | 5 | 287 | 447 | −160 | 5 | |
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: Ukraine 1–0 Australia
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: Cuba 1–0 South Korea
* 21 July 1996 (1996-07-21)
* Boxscore
| Zaire | 65–81 | Ukraine |
| Pts: Mabika 14 Rebs: Ngalula, Tshijuka 7 Asts: Kamanga 4 | | Pts: Tkachenko 27 Rebs: Nazareko 9 Asts: Tkachenko, Zhyrko 5 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 21 July 1996 (1996-07-21)
* Boxscore
| United States | 101–84 | Cuba |
| Pts: Leslie 24 Rebs: Leslie 7 Asts: Edwards 9 | | Pts: Martínez 21 Rebs: Víctores 8 Asts: Lagnó 6 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 21 July 1996 (1996-07-21)
* Boxscores
| South Korea | 61–76 | Australia |
| Pts: Yoo Y-j 16 Rebs: Yu Y-j 9 Asts: Chun J-w 5 | | Pts: Sporn 21 Rebs: Sporn, Sandie 10 Asts: Timms 5 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 23 July 1996 (1996-07-23)
* Boxscore
| Ukraine | 65–98 | United States |
| Pts: Nazarenko 14 Rebs: Shliakhova 5 Asts: four players 2 | | Pts: Bolton 21 Rebs: Leslie 9 Asts: Swoopes 7 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 23 July 1996 (1996-07-23)
* Boxscore
| Australia | 91–45 | Zaire |
| Pts: Sandie 18 Rebs: Sandie 8 Asts: Timms, Fallon 4 | | Pts: Tshijuka 15 Rebs: Tshijuka 10 Asts: Kamanga 5 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 23 July 1996 (1996-07-23)
* Boxscore
| Cuba | 70–55 | South Korea |
| Pts: León 20 Rebs: Martínez 14 Asts: León, Henry 4 | | Pts: Jung S-m 16 Rebs: Chun J-w 9 Asts: Chun E-s 3 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 25 July 1996 (1996-07-25)
* Boxscore
| United States | 107–47 | Zaire |
| Pts: Azzi 18 Rebs: McCray 8 Asts: Edwards 5 | | Pts: Ngalula 17 Rebs: Tshijuka, Lobela 5 Asts: Mabika 3 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 25 July 1996 (1996-07-25)
* Boxscore
| South Korea | 72–67 | Ukraine |
| Pts: Yoo Y-j, Chun E-s 14 Rebs: Jung S-m 7 Asts: Chun E-s, Chun J-w 5 | | Pts: Tkachenko 21 Rebs: Tkachenko 11 Asts: Zhyrko 8 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 25 July 1996 (1996-07-25)
* Boxscore
| Cuba | 63–75 | Australia |
| Pts: Martínez 19 Rebs: Martínez 11 Asts: Seino 4 | | Pts: Timms 19 Rebs: Sporn 12 Asts: Brogan 4 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 27 July 1996 (1996-07-27)
* Boxscore
| Zaire | 71–95 | South Korea |
| Pts: Mabika 30 Rebs: Tshijuka, Ngalula 7 Asts: Ngalula 3 | | Pts: Chun E-s 29 Rebs: Chun J-w 6 Asts: Chun E-s 14 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 27 July 1996 (1996-07-27)
* Boxscore
| Ukraine | 87–75 | Cuba |
| Pts: Zhyrko 22 Rebs: Nazarenko 8 Asts: Tkachenko 6 | | Pts: Martínez 20 Rebs: Martínez 12 Asts: three players 3 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 27 July 1996 (1996-07-27)
* Boxscore
| Australia | 79–96 | United States |
| Pts: Timms 26 Rebs: Sporn 7 Asts: Maher 3 | | Pts: McClain 24 Rebs: McClain 11 Asts: Edwards 15 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 29 July 1996 (1996-07-29)
* Boxscore
| Ukraine | 54–48 | Australia |
| Pts: Dovhaliuk 15 Rebs: Nazarenko 15 Asts: Tkachenko, Burenok 3 | | Pts: Timms 13 Rebs: Sporn 10 Asts: Timms 3 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 29 July 1996 (1996-07-29)
* Boxscore
| South Korea | 64–105 | United States |
| Pts: Jung S-m 17 Rebs: Jung S-m 6 Asts: Chun J-w 7 | | Pts: McCray 16 Rebs: McCray 9 Asts: Swoopes 4 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta
* 29 July 1996 (1996-07-29)
* Boxscore
| Cuba | 73–59 | Zaire |
| Pts: León 20 Rebs: Martínez 12 Asts: Henry 7 | | Pts: Mabika 27 Rebs: Ngalula 9 Asts: three players 3 |
* Morehouse College Gymnasium, Atlanta

## Knockout stage
### Championship bracket

| Quarterfinals (July 31) | Quarterfinals (July 31) | Quarterfinals (July 31) | Semifinals (August 2) | Semifinals (August 2) | Semifinals (August 2) | Gold medal (August 4) | Gold medal (August 4) | Gold medal (August 4) |
| B1 | Brazil | 101 | | | | | | |
| A4 | Cuba | 69 | | | | | | |
| A4 | Cuba | 69 | B1 | Brazil | 81 | | | |
| | | | A2 | Ukraine | 60 | | | |
| A2 | Ukraine | 59 | A2 | Ukraine | 60 | | | |
| B3 | Italy | 50 | | | | | | |
| B3 | Italy | 50 | | | | B1 | Brazil | 87 |
| | | | | | | A1 | United States | 111 |
| B2 | Russia | 70 | | | | | | | A1 | United States | 111 |
| A3 | Australia | 74 | | | |
| A3 | Australia | 74 | A3 | Australia | 71 | Bronze medal (August 4) | Bronze medal (August 4) | Bronze medal (August 4) |
| | | | A1 | United States | 93 |
| A1 | United States | 108 | A1 | United States | 93 | A2 | Ukraine | 56 |
| B4 | Japan | 93 | | | | A3 | Australia | 66 |

#### Classification brackets

9th–12th Place
| July 31 | July 31 | July 31 | 9th place (August 3) | 9th place (August 3) | 9th place (August 3) |
| B6 | Zaire | 67 | | | |
| A5 | China | 91 | | | |
| A5 | China | 91 | A5 | China | 85 |
| | | | B5 | South Korea | 71 |
| A6 | Canada | 79 | B5 | South Korea | 71 |
| B5 | South Korea | 88 | 11th place (August 3) | 11th place (August 3) | 11th place (August 3) |
| | | | B6 | Zaire | 46 |
| | | | A6 | Canada | 88 |
5th–8th Place
| August 1 | August 1 | August 1 | 5th place (August 3) | 5th place (August 3) | 5th place (August 3) |
| A4 | Japan | 69 | | | |
| A2 | Russia | 80 | | | |
| A2 | Russia | 80 | B4 | Cuba | 74 |
| | | | A2 | Russia | 91 |
| B4 | Cuba | 78 | A2 | Russia | 91 |
| A3 | Italy | 70 | 7th place (August 3) | 7th place (August 3) | 7th place (August 3) |
| | | | A3 | Italy | 69 |
| | | | A4 | Japan | 81 |

### Classification round 9th−12th place

* 31 July 1996 (1996-07-31) 10:00
* Boxscore
| Zaire | 67–91 | China |
| Scoring by half: 36–47, 31–44 |||
| Pts: Mabika 30 Rebs: Lobela 9 Asts: Ngalula 3 | | Pts: Zheng H 26 Rebs: Zheng H 10 Asts: Ma Z 6 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta
* 31 July 1996 (1996-07-31) 12:00
* Boxscore
| Canada | 79–88 | South Korea |
| Scoring by half: 41–37, 38–51 |||
| Pts: Norman 17 Rebs: Norman 8 Asts: Karch-Gailus 8 | | Pts: Chun J-w 31 Rebs: Jung S-m, Yoo Y-j 4 Asts: Chun J-w 9 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta

#### 11th-place game

* 3 August 1996 (1996-08-03) 10:00
* Boxscore
| Zaire | 46–88 | Canada |
| Scoring by half: 20–52, 26–36 |||
| Pts: Ngalula 12 Rebs: Tshijuka 9 Asts: Ngalula, Pikinini 2 | | Pts: Smith 21 Rebs: Norman 10 Asts: Karch-Gailus 6 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta

#### 9th-place game

* 3 August 1996 (1996-08-03) 12:00
* Boxscore
| China | 85–71 | South Korea |
| Scoring by half: 48–39, 37–32 |||
| Pts: Zheng H 29 Rebs: Zheng H 10 Asts: Zheng D 10 | | Pts: Chun J-w 20 Rebs: Yoo Y-j 6 Asts: Han H-s 5 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta

### Quarterfinals

* 31 July 1996 (1996-07-31) 15:00
* Boxscore
| United States | 108–93 | Japan |
| Scoring by half: 59–44, 49–49 |||
| Pts: Leslie 35 Rebs: McClain 16 Asts: Edwards 12 | | Pts: Ichijo, Hagiwara 22 Rebs: Kato 8 Asts: Murakami 10 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta
* 31 July 1996 (1996-07-31) 17:00
* Boxscore
| Russia | 70–74 (OT) | Australia |
| Scoring by half: 38–38, 26–26 Overtime: 6–10 |||
| Pts: Nikonova 16 Rebs: Baranova 21 Asts: Sumnikova 5 | | Pts: Brogan 17 Rebs: Brogan, Whittle 8 Asts: Brogan, Timms 3 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta
* 31 July 1996 (1996-07-31) 20:00
* Boxscore
| Ukraine | 59–50 | Italy |
| Scoring by half: 25–22, 34–28 |||
| Pts: Nazarenko 16 Rebs: Zhyrko 15 Asts: Tkachenko 6 | | Pts: Pollini 13 Rebs: Pollini 8 Asts: Pollini, Fullin 3 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta
* 31 July 1996 (1996-07-31) 22:00
* Boxscore
| Brazil | 101–69 | Cuba |
| Scoring by half: 50–33, 51–36 |||
| Pts: Paula, Janeth 19 Rebs: Janeth, Marta Sobral 10 Asts: Janeth 6 | | Pts: Martínez 25 Rebs: Martínez 9 Asts: four players 2 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta

### Classification round 5th−8th place

* 1 August 1996 (1996-08-01) 15:00
* Boxscore
| Russia | 80–69 | Japan |
| Scoring by half: 39–34, 41–35 |||
| Pts: Baranova 37 Rebs: Baranova 13 Asts: Sumnikova 14 | | Pts: Kato 19 Rebs: Ichijo 12 Asts: Murakami 7 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta
* 1 August 1996 (1996-08-01) 17:00
* Boxscore
| Cuba | 78–70 | Italy |
| Scoring by half: 37–40, 41–30 |||
| Pts: Martínez 23 Rebs: Enríquez 17 Asts: Henry 5 | | Pts: Pollini 15 Rebs: Ballabio, Tufano 8 Asts: three players 3 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta

#### 7th-place game

* 3 August 1996 (1996-08-03) 15:00
* Boxscore
| Italy | 69–81 | Japan |
| Scoring by half: 32–41, 37–40 |||
| Pts: Paparazzo 19 Rebs: Pollini 6 Asts: Caselin 5 | | Pts: Hagiwara 21 Rebs: Hagiwara, Hamaguchi 9 Asts: Harada 5 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta

#### 5th-place game

* 3 August 1996 (1996-08-03) 17:00
* Boxscore
| Cuba | 74–91 | Russia |
| Scoring by half: 41–44, 33–47 |||
| Pts: Martínez 19 Rebs: Martínez 11 Asts: Seino 4 | | Pts: Baranova 20 Rebs: Baranova 8 Asts: Sumnikova 8 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta

### Semifinals

* 2 August 1996 (1996-08-02) 15:00
* Boxscore
| Brazil | 81–60 | Ukraine |
| Scoring by half: 48–36, 33–24 |||
| Pts: Paula 24 Rebs: Alessandra 13 Asts: Paula 6 | | Pts: Zhyrko 15 Rebs: Sadovnykova 6 Asts: Tkachenko 5 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta
* 2 August 1996 (1996-08-02) 17:00
* Boxscore
| Australia | 71–93 | United States |
| Scoring by half: 32–47, 39–46 |||
| Pts: Timms 27 Rebs: Maher 6 Asts: Timms 4 | | Pts: Leslie 22 Rebs: McClain 15 Asts: Edwards 8 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta

### Bronze-medal game

* 4 August 1996 (1996-08-04) 16:00
* Boxscore
| Ukraine | 56–66 | Australia |
| Scoring by half: 32–47, 39–46 |||
| Pts: Zhyrko 16 Rebs: Zhyrko 9 Asts: Zhyrko, Nazarenko 3 | | Pts: Brogan 19 Rebs: Brogan 12 Asts: Timms 4 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta

### Gold-medal game

* 4 August 1996 (1996-08-04) 18:35
* Boxscore
| Brazil | 87–111 | United States |
| Scoring by half: 46–57, 41–54 |||
| Pts: Arcain 24 Rebs: Alessandra 9 Asts: Paula 10 | | Pts: Leslie 29 Rebs: Leslie 6 Asts: Edwards 10 |
* Georgia Dome, Atlanta

## Awards

* 1996 Olympic Basketball Champions
* United States Third title

## Final standings

| Rank | Team | Pld | W | L |
| | United States | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| | Brazil | 8 | 7 | 1 |
| | Australia | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| 4th | Ukraine | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| Eliminated at the quarterfinals |||||
| 5th | Russia | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 6th | Cuba | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| 7th | Japan | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| 8th | Italy | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| Preliminary round 5-6th placers |||||
| 9th | China | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| 10th | South Korea | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| 11th | Canada | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| 12th | Zaire | 7 | 0 | 7 |