It is the matchup everybody has been ready to see.
The U.S. ladies’s basketball crew’s mastery of worldwide play was examined two years in the past in Paris, throughout a one-point win over France within the Olympic remaining. In Sunday’s FIBA Ladies’s World Cup gold medal match (2 p.m. ET), the French hope to get their revenge.
Group USA beat Spain 76-66 on Saturday after France defeated host Germany 86-64 in Berlin. That leaves the highest two groups to fulfill within the remaining. Since 1996, the USA has received each Olympic and World Cup gold besides one: within the 2006 World Cup, when the Individuals misplaced to Russia within the semifinals and took bronze.
France has been constructing as a nationwide energy, with 13 French gamers within the WNBA this season, together with the Golden State Valkyries‘ Gabby Williams, who has twin citizenship and is a vital participant for Group France. She had 22 factors and 5 rebounds Saturday.
The U.S. ladies had a sluggish begin Saturday and led 39-36 at halftime. The rating was tied 58-58 after three quarters. However Group USA took management within the fourth quarter, outscoring Spain 18-8. New York Liberty ahead Breanna Stewart had 16 factors to steer the Individuals, who had a giant edge on the free throw line, going 27-of-35 to Spain’s 10-of-11.
Can Group USA end the job for its fifth consecutive and twelfth total World Cup gold medal? Or will France win its first? Here is how they match up and the way every might win.
How France superior
Voepel: Williams led 4 French gamers who scored in double figures and was additionally a giant a part of the defensive effort that compelled Germany into 25 turnovers whereas France dedicated simply six.
Germany trailed 25-23 after the primary quarter. However France constructed its result in seven at halftime, and with so many turnovers, Germany could not construct a sustained comeback within the second half.
Williams’ Golden State teammate Janelle Salaun had 14 factors and 11 rebounds. Liberty guard Marine Johannes had 13 factors, and Phoenix Mercury ahead Valeriane Ayayi had 10. The French had been outrebounded 41-31, however their big turnover benefit overrode that.
The French have received their 5 World Cup video games by a mean of 35.6 factors, with Saturday’s 22-point margin the closest.
Philippou: I am unable to overstate how good France has appeared this match. Although their group was not significantly sturdy, within the knockout rounds, the French crushed China and largely had their means in opposition to Germany. They’ve had the very best offense in Berlin, scoring 96.2 factors per sport, taking pictures 51.6% from the sector and changing 44.2% of their photographs from the 3-point arc — therefore Stewart’s postgame remark that France is “taking pictures the s— out of the ball.” These are numbers we’re used to seeing from Group USA! And, in fact, France’s defensive id is its basis. Williams has been distinctive this match and appears decided to will her crew to a historic gold Sunday.
How the USA superior
Voepel: As was the case in Group USA’s 55-52 victory over Italy in group play, the veterans took over to shut out the win over Spain. Together with Stewart, Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (13 factors) and Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Younger (12) scored in double figures.
The U.S. reserves contributed, although, with how they helped the Individuals catch up after Spain’s sizzling begin. Indiana Fever heart Aliyah Boston and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers led the bench with six factors every.
However with tensions excessive and the rating tied going into the fourth quarter, the Individuals relied on their gamers who’ve probably the most worldwide expertise to remain calm and make key performs in crunch time. Group USA had 15 turnovers within the sport, however just one within the remaining quarter.
The Individuals shot 40% from the sector (23 of 58) and simply 17% (3 of 18) from behind the arc. However their benefit on the line and their capacity to carry Spain to 38% from the sector (25 of 66) had been sufficient to tug out the victory.
Philippou: The U.S. ladies lastly discovered a semblance of rhythm within the fourth quarter, and it is not a coincidence that was once they performed their greatest protection of the sport, holding Spain to only eight factors. The execution on that finish appeared to hold over offensively.
U.S. coach Kara Lawson primarily leaned on her vets late, although she gave Caitlin Clark a great run in that body, and Boston performed all 10 minutes.
“We had sure issues we wished to assault, and I believed we obtained to these within the fourth to attain,” Lawson stated. “I believed defensively, it was the very best we had performed, from guarding the ball to guarding the ball display to boxing out and limiting to 1 shot. Simply each section of protection, we had been exact, and we had been locked in.
“And so once we get all that going collectively, then we really feel like we will create some separation. However our execution late, our shotmaking late, our understanding of mismatches late was all at a excessive stage.”
How do France-USA match up? What can we take away from the Olympic assembly?
Voepel: The French haven’t had a detailed sport on this World Cup, and the Individuals have had two. Primarily based on how every crew’s 5 video games in Berlin have performed out thus far, France has appeared higher. A potential benefit for the U.S. ladies is that they’ve needed to dig deep and execute in essential moments throughout their wins over Italy and Spain. So, maybe that may assist in what’s anticipated to be a detailed matchup with the French.
It has appeared as if Group USA’s offense has been feast (94 factors vs. China, 105 vs. Czechia and 108 vs. Hungary), famine (55 vs. Italy) or irritating (76 factors vs. Spain, with USA taking too many unhealthy photographs and lacking too many good ones). However the U.S. ladies are nonetheless the place they anticipated to be in opposition to the foe they anticipated to face. Which Group USA offense will present up Sunday?
Wanting again on the 2024 gold medal sport in Paris, Las Vegas Aces heart A’ja Wilson, who’s coping with a again situation and is not taking part in within the World Cup, led the Individuals with 21 factors and 13 rebounds. Copper and Kelsey Plum (additionally out of this match due to a leg damage) had 12 factors in that sport.
Williams led France with 19 factors, seven rebounds and three steals — and nearly despatched the sport to extra time. She made a shot on the buzzer, however her foot was touching the 3-point line. That was the distinction between taking part in an additional interval for gold in Paris and leaving with a silver. It saved alive the USA’ streak of eight consecutive Olympic gold medals.
Philippou: Lawson has stated the signal of a great crew is one that may win even when it isn’t making the photographs it usually does. Nonetheless, the U.S.’s offense, at greatest, hasn’t been constant this match, and it feels greater than possible Sunday may very well be one other powerful day for the unit in opposition to Les Bleues’ defensive stress.
“[The French] have nice depth, they’ve nice athleticism, they usually discovered their fashion,” stated Olaf Lange, German nationwide crew coach and present affiliate head coach for the Toronto Tempo. “They’re just about attempting to leap each crew with their stress. … We all know from the Paris Olympics that that is additionally not simple to deal with for USA. They in all probability have the instruments, however they’ve means much less chemistry than most worldwide or European nations.”
What may very well be Sunday’s X issue?
Philippou: I am fascinated to see how the psychological aspect of a gold medal sport performs out and to watch how stress impacts each groups. Marine Johannes stated that France feels as if it has nothing to lose, however I am unsure I purchase that. There’s clearly a want to avenge the Olympic loss, and even some stress to lastly get French basketball on high.
“All we care about is successful,” Dom Malonga stated after the quarterfinal. “The French nationwide crew has been recognized for years for like second place or semifinals, by no means all the best way, even in EuroBasket, till now. I really feel like now we have to do it. We now have to make it occur.”
France additionally does not have as a lot expertise in these moments as the USA. On the similar time, the U.S. has six gamers who have not performed on the World Cup or Olympics. And but, the stress the gamers face is to keep away from being the crew that ends the Individuals’ run, whereas additionally, as Stewart famous, holding feelings in examine.
“[The pressure] is fixed,” Stewart instructed ESPN. “Group USA, we have not misplaced a World Cup sport since ’06. The identical with the Olympics, nevertheless many gold medals in a row. It is not unhealthy stress. It is simply the usual of what we do right here. However it’s like, now we have to know what we’re defending and know what we’re chasing.
“You possibly can’t draw back from it. You simply should embrace it. Like, that is the usual. That is the usual that these earlier than me put into place, and now, we make it the usual, and we simply proceed to maintain it.”
Voepel: The Individuals might assist themselves if they’ll hit extra 3-pointers. They struggled there Saturday, and it impacted their offensive effectiveness. America made 12 3-pointers vs. China and Hungary, one vs. Italy, seven vs. Czechia and three in opposition to Spain.
In contrast, France has been significantly better from behind the arc, making a minimum of 10 3-pointers in each sport with a excessive of twenty-two (on 40 photographs) in its 111-56 win over Nigeria on Monday. The Individuals might want to decelerate France from lengthy vary whereas additionally taking pictures higher.
WNBA gamers on every roster
France WNBA gamers:
G Pauline Astier, New York Liberty
F Valeriane Ayayi, Phoenix Mercury
G Marine Johannes, New York Liberty
G Leila Lacan, Connecticut Solar
G Carla Leite, Portland Hearth
C Dominique Malonga, Seattle Storm
F Janelle Salaun, Golden State Valkyries
G Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries
USA WNBA gamers:
F/C Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
G Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
G Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics
G Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
F Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
F/G Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury
G Chelsea Grey, Las Vegas Aces
G Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
F Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics
F Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream
F Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
G Jackie Younger, Las Vegas Aces
