Sept. 7, 2026, 8:19 p.m. ET
- The U.S. Nationwide Group defeated Czechia 105-64 within the FIBA Ladies’s Basketball World Cup.
- Veterans Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier led the group with robust early performances.
- The victory prolonged the American’s match successful streak to 33 consecutive video games.
BERLIN — America Nationwide Group had all the things to achieve in opposition to Czechia within the 2026 FIBA Ladies’s Basketball World Cup. Coming off an underwhelming efficiency in opposition to Italy on Sunday evening, the Individuals had a lot to show. Though that they had already superior to the quarterfinal spherical with the victory Sunday evening, there was nothing lackadaisical about their 105-64 win within the closing group section recreation.
They performed like there was no tomorrow. No backup plan.
When the sudden American vulnerability required a press release, the U.S. turned to 2 of its most dependable veterans. Breanna Stewart scored 19 factors with seven rebounds and 6 assists in simply 16:47. Napheesa Collier scored 12 factors with six rebounds and two assists in 15:48. They have been among the many contributors to create a lead of as a lot as 43 factors.
“Stew and Phee are two of one of the best gamers on this planet,” U.S. coach Kara Lawson stated, “and so it isn’t my job to persuade them that they are good. It’s to remind them, you already know, of who they’re and what they create to the group. And so they each deliver a lot to our group. They’re each full gamers…”
“I wish to see them each evening by way of their confidence and their aggression,” Lawson went on. “They’re able to doing that, and I believed that their aggression gave the remainder of the group confidence in how we performed.”
The U.S. will play in a quarterfinal on Thursday in opposition to the winner of Tuesday’s quarterfinal qualification recreation between Hungary and Japan. The Individuals prolonged their match successful streak to 33 video games, second solely to the 56-game streak by the Soviet Union from 1959 to 1986.
Stewart’s assertion was emphatic from the beginning. After the tipoff, she obtained a go from Collier and, with little hesitation, drained a 3-pointer to place the primary factors on the board for the U.S. and foreshadow what was to comply with.
Simply the day earlier than, Stewart struggled from the sphere on a 1-for-11 evening, her first factors arriving with simply 3:20 remaining within the fourth quarter. This was a distinct story, as Stewart completed the primary half main the U.S. with 13 factors, six rebounds, and 6 assists.
“Effectively, I knew the ball needed to go within the basket for me. It needed to go in,” stated Stewart. “I used to be making an attempt to get out early, rebound and run and put stress on the rim. Total, as a group we did a very good job of seeing the lanes that we weren’t operating final evening and operating them as we speak.”
Stewart was a part of a twenty third consecutive U.S. victory, which tied Skaidrite Smildzina of the Soviet Union from 1959 to 1967. The one participant to turn out to be a part of extra consecutive victories is Uljana Semjonova of the Soviet Union from 1971 to 1983.
Though that is a person feat, she saved the main focus off of herself.
“It’s an honor for me to play USA Basketball, and to have the ability to come right here for my fourth World Cup and take full benefit of it, there’s nothing I’d slightly do,” Stewart stated. “However there are lots of people that performed earlier than USA Basketball, and I might not be what I’m with out them.”
Stewart’s dominant efficiency created ripple results by way of her teammates; it was contagious, as every participant rose to the event that Stewart had introduced.
With 23 seconds left within the half, Stewart handed just under the arc to Paige Bueckers, who drained a subject purpose to deliver the U.S. complete to 57 factors, already surpassing their 55-point complete within the matchup in opposition to Italy.
“I believe we took accountability for what occurred yesterday,” Stewart stated. “We wished to ensure everybody knew that as we speak was a brand new day and there is a chance to essentially impression the sport in plenty of methods.”
Popping out of the locker room, Stewart set the tone once more, placing the primary factors of the second half on the board for the U.S. With each transfer Czechia made, the U.S. had a response, all the time protecting them at arm’s size. Guard Eliska Joklova led Czechia with 19 factors. The U.S. exhibited a powerful defensive efficiency, holding Czechia to 22-for-67 capturing, 3 for 30 from past the arc.
The dominant veteran efficiency within the first half allowed Lawson to make the most of her youthful expertise and experiment with totally different schemes. Ahead Kiki Iriafen capitalized on that chance, inevitably main the U.S. in rebounds with 11. Angel Reese contributed 13 factors with six rebounds and three steals. Caitlin Clark added 9 factors and 7 assists.
Clark has averaged 6.3 assists within the three video games, a tempo that might surpass Daybreak Staley’s team-record 5.8-assist common in 1998.
Stewart and Collier had created a path for his or her youthful teammates to comply with, and the outcomes have been dramatic. In opposition to Italy, the bench factors have been 24-24. This evening, the signature U.S. benefit was 55-13.
“For Stewie and me,” Collier stated, “we’re going to be facilitators as nicely. So simply understanding that we’re two of the older folks on the group, we’ve got numerous youthful folks on this group. So we’ve got to have the ability to set the tone and set an instance. So that’s the mindset we had coming into the sport as we speak.”
Enchancment appears to be on the high of Lawson’s recreation plan. Every single day, each apply, and each recreation marks a possibility for this group to turn out to be nice and in opposition to Czechia marked a pivotal step. The essence of enchancment is that there isn’t any finish level, and as we speak the U.S. took one further step towards gold.
“I believe we’re bettering on daily basis,” stated Lawson. “I really feel numerous confidence round our group, and on daily basis we’re collectively, our chemistry is constructing, we’re getting an understanding of easy methods to play off one another, even easy methods to talk…We live in a bubble, in a way, in a match like this, however our bubble may be very pleasant.”
Jenna Black is a graduate pupil at IU Indianapolis and a part of the Sports activities Capital Journalism Program. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark protection despatched on to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever publication. Subscribe to IndyStar TV: Fever for in-depth evaluation, behind-the-scenes protection and extra.
