Up to date Sept. 6, 2026, 10:20 p.m. ET
The USA ladies’s basketball group continued its run on the FIBA World Cup, holding off Italy, 55-52, of their second sport of group play on Sunday, Sept. 6, in Berlin, Germany.
The People, who’ve gained 4 consecutive World Cup titles, gained their thirty second consecutive sport within the event however this one didn’t come simply. It was their smallest margin of victory since 1979 and lowest taking pictures proportion (29%) from the ground ever.
“Each single a type of wins got here laborious. … and we perceive that,” mentioned USA coach Kara Lawson, whose group superior to the quarterfinals with the victory. “It’s a must to have nice respect for who you play, it’s a must to put together in a option to win. And so, it is imagined to be difficult, and we’re imagined to have moments the place we’re not at our greatest.
“And the groups that may persevere by that and have a resilient mindset are those which might be capable of win. In the event you’re lucky sufficient on the finish of the event to be the winner, that is why it is so satisfying.”
Crew USA had confronted off in opposition to Italy in March on the World Cup qualifying event in Puerto Rico. Crew USA defeated Italy 93-59 behind Kahleah Copper’s game-high 15 factors, one in all 5 People to attain in double digits within the March 14 win.
Just one participant was in double digits on Sunday: Jackie Younger, who scored 10 factors to steer the People.
Listed here are the winners and losers for Sunday’s sport between the USA and Italy:
WINNERS
Chelsea Grey’s clutch gene
If there’s a clutch basket available, Chelsea Grey usually nails it. Grey, like a lot of Crew USA, didn’t have an incredible taking pictures day. Earlier than her eventual game-winning shot, she was 1-of-5 from the ground. Nonetheless, when the strain was on, and the USA wanted to place a ways between itself and Italy, the veteran guard delivered.
Grey drew a well timed cost across the 3-minute mark to shift the momentum, after which sank a gritty two-point jumper with 1:07 left on the clock to place the U.S. up 55-50. The shot could not have come at a greater time. It pressured Italy to take a timeout. America was capable of stroll away with a win thanks for Grey’s heroics.
“The shot Chelsea took was a giant momentum altering play,” Lawson mentioned. “It was an unimaginable successful play by Grey there.”
Angel Reese’s protection
Whereas Crew USA struggled to make a shot, Reese used her defensive prowess to lock down Italy. She had two blocks, a steal and three rebounds. Reese additionally scored eight factors, making all 4 free-throws and two subject objectives.
“She comes into the sport, and he or she performs with nice power, and he or she competes,” Crew USA coach Kara Lawson mentioned. “She scores, she rebounds, she performs with nice tempo. It is what you need in a participant, in a younger participant, to come back in and do this. And so that is what I admire extra about her. She finds a option to make an affect.”
Italy’s protection
The Italians held the American to a FIBA Ladies’s World Cup worst 28.6% taking pictures from the sector. After opening the sport in man-to-man, Italy was down 19-8 on the finish of the primary quarter. They switched to a zone and brought about many issues for the U.S., taking part in extraordinarily bodily basketball, particularly inside.
“We wished to interrupt their rhythm as a result of once they get their rhythm, it is actually unstoppable,” mentioned Italy ahead Cecilia Zandalasini, who had 14 factors and 7 rebounds. “We attempt with the zone, we attempt totally different matchups, we attempt some switches and … did an incredible, nice job on their publish participant as a result of I do know they wish to put the ball inside it.”
America shot 10-for-35 within the paint and 1-for-12 from 3-point land.
LOSERS
Italy controls USA within the paint
Crew USA may wish to assessment Sunday’s movie after which by no means converse of it once more. It was that ugly. It was significantly unhealthy on two-point subject objectives. America was 15-for-44 on 2-pointers and missed greater than 20 photographs within the paint alone. That simply cannot occur. Full credit score goes to Italy for packing the paint and making use of strain, inflicting loads missed photographs.
“We obtained high quality appears in opposition to their zone and in opposition to their man within the paint, precisely the place we wished,” Lawson mentioned. “We simply missed them. We missed the layups, and so, hopefully, transferring ahead, we will end a number of extra.”
The U.S. survived after an terrible taking pictures night time. What saved them? Attending to the free-throw line, the place it completed 22-for-30. Nonetheless, that will not occur each sport.
“Clearly, Italy actually sort of mucked up the sport for us slightly bit, and it made it laborious on us to attain,” Breanna Stewart mentioned. “Powerful group … It is a powerful event, however all of us actually acknowledge that.”
The USA’s lack of ability to make a 3
Within the opening sport of group play, the U.S. shot 12-for-32 from 3-point vary in a convincing victory over China. They obtained scorching from past the arc within the first half and by no means appeared again.
That was not the case vs. Italy. The U.S. was 1-of-12 from 3. Caitlin Clark was 0-for-3 and Rhyne Howard and Kahleah Cooper have been each 0-for-2 from behind the arc. Paige Bueckers hit the lone 3-pointer, with 1:45 to go within the third quarter.
“That was a sport plan, and we performed with our coronary heart,” Italy coach Andrea Capobianco mentioned. “That was the important thing truly.
“We simply gotta maintain going. We’ve got one other crucial sport tomorrow. Now, we confirmed what we’re able to, however we wish to maintain going and never simply stopping right here and simply lose our head on this sport. It is nonetheless a really, very lengthy event.”
Crew USA’s mystifying subject objective issues
Crew USA having a number of gamers with no subject objective throughout a World Cup sport is sort of unthinkable. However that is what occurred Sunday.
At one level, there have been 4 gamers with no subject objective. Breanna Stewart, who was 0-for-8 late, lastly obtained one to go on the 3:20 mark of the fourth, which turned out to be pivotal within the victory. Guards Caitlin Clark (0-for 6), Kahleah Copper (0-for-4) and Sonia Citron (0-for-1) didn’t make a basket from the sector.
To be truthful to the group, that they had a number of photographs hit the rim and bounce out. The U.S. may have hassle competing when its stars cannot discover the online.
The USA might want to discover out rapidly the right way to get them going once more,. The People play Czechia on Monday, Sept. 7 after lower than a 24-hour turnaround.
