BERLIN (AP) — Napheesa Collier scored 19 factors and the USA routed Hungary 108-56 to advance to the semifinals of the ladies’s FIBA World Cup on Thursday.
The U.S. will play the winner of the Spain-Australia sport on Saturday within the medal spherical.
The People have now received 34 consecutive video games within the match courting to a loss to Russia within the 2006 World Cup semifinals. The U.S. has made each medal spherical since 1983 when the format modified to have medal rounds.
It was a record-breaking efficiency for the U.S. The 108 factors was essentially the most by any group ever in a quarterfinal. The U.S. had 31 assists, once more essentially the most on this spherical.
“When that ball is shifting, we wish to get the absolute best shot,” stated Kahleah Copper, who had 10 factors. “We wish to make sure that all people will get concerned. Everybody right here on this roster, we all know what they’re doing on their respective (WNBA) groups. However you come right here, you sacrifice slightly little bit of that.”
Copper stated the gamers have been at all times trying to flip good scoring alternatives into nice ones. The People did simply that.
The U.S. was off and working early in opposition to Hungary, leaping out to a 36-12 lead after the primary quarter. The People have been continually pounding the ball inside and changing turnovers into straightforward layups. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese confirmed their rising chemistry on the courtroom, ending the quarter with a nifty decide and roll simply earlier than the buzzer. Collier had 10 factors within the first 10 minutes.
The offense was scorching early on because the People hit 20 of their first 26 pictures (77%), together with 5 of six 3-point makes an attempt to race to a 50-18 lead with 6 minutes left within the first half. The People led 59-30 on the break — the very best scoring first half in group historical past in a knockout sport on the occasion in accordance with FIBA.
The People acquired slightly scare when Sonia Citron needed to go away within the third quarter when she was hit within the nostril by a Hungary participant’s hand by chance. Citron returned to start out the fourth quarter.
Clark completed with 10 factors and 9 assists, simply lacking out on her second double-double of the match.
The U.S. was additionally strong on protection. They contained Hungary’s high scorer Dorka Juhasz, who performs for the Minnesota Lynx. She got here into the sport averaging 15.3 factors and 11 rebounds within the match. She missed her first seven pictures and didn’t get her first basket till 2:26 was left within the half. She completed the sport with two factors on 1 of 12 capturing.
Hungary got here away with its greatest end ever within the World Cup by reaching the quarterfinals for the primary time. Hungary was fifth within the 1957 match however again then it was a spherical robin with no medal rounds.
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