With the sport in opposition to China within the bag, Workforce USA is now looking forward to their sport in opposition to Italy as they proceed their group stage marketing campaign within the FIBA World Cup. With so many worldwide gamers now taking part in within the WNBA, Caitlin Clark couldn’t cease exhibiting her appreciation for the American league ecosystem, particularly its coaches, for reworking abroad gamers into world-class expertise. Clark offers a particular shoutout to teach Natalie Nakase, who performed a vital function within the improvement of Italy’s Cecilia Zandalasini.
“Clearly, Zandalasini’s had an unimaginable 12 months with the Valkyries. And, , Coach Nat, who’s on our workers, has been in a position to coach her and actually get the perfect out of her. And , I believe she’s an unimaginable participant. It looks as if each sport she continues to get higher and higher. She will stretch the ground. She will rating within the mid-range. She has nice dimension. She’s athletic,” Clark stated within the press convention following the USA versus China sport.
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“So, , she’ll be one of many keys to our scouting report, I am positive. However she’s actually had an amazing 12 months, and I’d count on her to do the identical for Italy as properly.”
Caitlin Clark has good causes for singling out Zandalasini. The Golden State Valkyries ahead Zandalasini has had an incredible season up to now. She has emerged as a key participant in coach Natalie Nakase’s setup. Zandalasini is averaging 8.8 factors, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per sport for the Valkyries this season, in 19.1 minutes of taking part in time per sport. She is sort of environment friendly in getting on the board as properly, capturing 39.7% from the sector and 32.6% from past the arc.
Zandalasini’s reliability might be gauged from the truth that she has began 32 of the 35 video games she has performed for the Valkyries this season, protecting the Golden State second within the WNBA standings. In Friday’s 63–54 FIBA World Cup triumph in opposition to Czechia, Zandalasini paced Italy throughout nearly 33 minutes of motion. She completed with 19 factors on 7-of-20 capturing, together with 2-of-9 from past the arc and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line, together with 5 rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
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Regardless of a 93–59 blowout loss to the U.S. on the Puerto Rico qualifying event, a Zandalasini-led Italian facet completed 4–1, gorgeous Spain the very subsequent day. Italy will as soon as once more should navigate a grueling group stage that features each Workforce USA and reigning 2022 World Cup silver medalists China.
That is one thing that Caitlin Clark and the USA camp are conscious of as properly.
“Clearly, we have not obtained into the scout. That is that’ll be our subsequent level, however we have been in a position to play them after I was on the World Cup qualifying staff in Puerto Rico. So, clearly I’ve a bit of familiarity there. Very gifted staff,” Clark stated.
“You realize, all people’s going to stand up and play their finest after they’re taking part in us. So, all of us should be ready in that regard.”
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Italy is again on the world stage in emphatic style. Following final 12 months’s bronze-medal win over France within the FIBA Ladies’s EuroBasket 2025, which snapped a EuroBasket medal dry spell going again to 1995, the squad has reached the World Cup—marking the nation’s first journey to a significant world basketball occasion for the reason that 1996 Atlanta Video games.
Though the chances for the Italians are listed as fairly slim heading into the sport, at simply 1.5%, it is a good time to be cautious for the Individuals, contemplating the World Cup has already produced one in all its stunning upsets, with Mali getting the perfect of Spain.
So Zandalasini and Co. have their activity minimize out. Italy faces Workforce USA and Caitlin Clark once more on September 7. In opposition to Collier, Howard, and Stewart, Zandalasini should hit powerful mid-range seems to be and draw contact to forestall extended scoring droughts.
Clark and Co. will, as standard, hope to high the group as they push for a fifth straight World Cup title.
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