Staff USA will meet Hungary within the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIBA Girls’s World Cup on Thursday after the Hungarians took care of Japan on Tuesday of their quarterfinal qualification matchup. Thursday’s matchup might be an early one for American followers within the States, with tip-off in Berlin set for five:30 a.m. ET (11:30 a.m. native time).
That is the primary time that the US and Hungary will meet on the Girls’s World Cup since 1986, when Staff USA secured a 78-63 win within the group stage. USA Basketball printed footage of that sport on its YouTube web page, and it is an interesting watch.
The 1986 event can also be the final time that Hungary reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup. They’ve by no means completed higher than fifth within the competitors, and that was again in 1957.
“I believe it should be a fantastic sport, ” Hungary star and Minnesota Lynx ahead Dorka Juhász mentioned. “Not many occasions Hungary have confronted USA in any form or type, so I believe it should be enjoyable. It is already a giant factor that we’re within the high eight on the earth. It has been, what, 40 years? However we’ll relaxation. We will deliver our hearts, our combat, and provides all we’ve in that sport.”
Forward of Thursday’s rematch, 40 years within the making, here is all the pieces it’s good to know.
The place to look at USA vs. Hungary
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10 | Time: 5:30 a.m. ET
Location: Berlin Area — Berlin, Germany
TV: TNT | Reside stream: HBO Max
Odds (through FanDuel): Staff USA -30.5 | O/U: 155.5
Girls’s World Cup participant grades: How Caitlin Clark, Chelsea Grey and the remainder of Staff USA fared in group stage
Jack Maloney
Hungary scouting report
Enjoying by the bigs
The very first thing it’s good to find out about Hungary is that all the pieces runs by its bigs, Juhász and Virag Takacs-Kiss, who each stand 6-foot-4. They’ve been wonderful in Berlin. Juhász is averaging a double-double at 15.3 factors and 11 rebounds per sport, whereas Takacs-Kiss is at 14 factors and 9.5 rebounds per sport. Collectively, they’ve scored 117 of Hungary’s 290 factors (40.3%).
Although neither is particularly dynamic or explosive, they do present versatility. Each are keen shooters and passers, and when taking part in collectively, they will interchange between the put up and the perimeter. They may even make their presence felt on the offensive glass.
Hungary’s guards hardly ever search for their very own offense early in possessions, and their first possibility is at all times to get the ball into the paint to one among their bigs, both by a direct post-up or a pick-and-roll (they may even pick-and-pop). The important thing for Staff USA might be stopping deep put up place and simple catches. As soon as Juhász or Takacs-Kiss has the ball on the block, they’re powerful to cope with and infrequently command double groups that create benefits for Hungary. But when Staff USA can deny them the ball, Hungary’s offense will stall out.
This might be a giant sport for Aliyah Boston, who’s Staff USA’s lone middle and needed to do a whole lot of the soiled work in the win over China within the group stage.
Extraordinarily turnover-prone
In its group stage opener in opposition to France, Hungary turned the ball over six occasions within the first 5 minutes, instantly fell behind by double digits and by no means recovered. By the top of its 46-point defeat, Hungary had dedicated 22 turnovers, which led to 29 factors for France.
Even of their victories in Berlin, turnovers have been a significant challenge for the Hungarians.
France | 53-99 | 22 | 29 |
Nigeria | 71-67 | 26 | 25 |
South Korea | 82-73 | 21 | 22 |
Japan | 84-63 | 17 | 20 |
Hungary is averaging a tournament-worst 21.5 turnovers per sport, and its opponents are averaging a whopping 24 factors off turnovers.
Hungary’s guards wrestle with stress, whether or not straight on-ball or being blitzed/trapped within the pick-and-roll, and infrequently attempt to pressure the ball into their bigs. Moreover, the staff’s lack of athleticism could be a actual challenge. Staff USA has the dimensions and athletes to take advantage of this weak spot, simply as France did.
Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese may trigger severe havoc for Staff USA on this matchup.
Will Reka Lelik step up?
In Tuesday’s quarterfinal qualification sport in opposition to Japan, Reka Lelik poured in 23 factors on 8 of 12 from the sector and added eight rebounds and 4 assists in among the best performances of her nationwide staff profession. Lelik is Hungary’s third-leading scorer in Berlin at 12.3 factors per sport, however she’s been inconsistent:
- vs. France: 8 factors on 3 of 10 capturing
- vs. Nigeria: 14 factors on 5 of 10 capturing
- vs. South Korea: 4 factors on 0 of three capturing
- vs. Japan: 23 factors on 8 of 12 capturing
That follows the identical development we noticed within the World Cup Qualifying Match in Istanbul, when Lelik had three double-digit scoring outings and a mixed two factors in Hungary’s different two video games.
If Hungary desires to tug off a significant upset in opposition to Staff USA, it can want Lelik to step up once more on Thursday. As nice as Juhász and Takacs-Kiss are inside, somebody on the perimeter has to attain to maintain Staff USA’s protection sincere. Lelik will not be capable to use her dimension the identical manner she did in opposition to Japan, nevertheless, and it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how she handles Staff USA’s physicality and athleticism.
USA vs. Hungary prediction
Staff USA’s poor exhibiting in opposition to Italy has given each different nation some hope that this would be the 12 months the People’ dominance on the World Cup ends. Even FIBA moved France to the highest of its World Cup Energy Rankings on Tuesday following the conclusion of the group stage.
And maybe Staff USA will fall in Berlin, nevertheless it will not be in opposition to Hungary. Might Juhász and Takacs-Kiss trigger some issues inside? Certain, however provided that they will get the ball in harmful positions. Hungary’s perimeter gamers might be severely overmatched on each ends of the ground, and there isn’t any motive to count on their turnover issues to subside in opposition to Staff USA, which has been dominant defensively.
Thursday’s matchup will look way more like Staff USA’s wins over China (94-61) and Czechia (105-64) than the slugfest versus Italy. Decide: USA -30.5
