Team USA continued its reign as the most dominant team in women’s basketball, winning its fifth consecutive FIBA World Championship gold medal with a 97-79 win over France on Sunday.
Despite fan and media skepticism that the Americans faced the motivated French, who dominated the tournament until the championship game, Team USA proved that its dynasty is in good hands. Still, the long-awaited rematch of the 2024 Olympic gold medal game was not a flawless victory for the United States.
For the first 20 minutes, France made sure the USA felt it all over the field. Defensively, his overwhelming pressure on the ball and disruption of the passing lane prevented Team USA from establishing any offensive rhythm. Offensively, he unleashed an unrelenting burst from 3-point range.
After France’s 11-0 run gave Les Bleues a 14-point lead to start the second quarter, Team USA responded with a 10-2 run, sparked by Breanne Stewart’s short jumper in a give-and-go with Jackie Young.
Young was Team USA’s leading scorer entering the game, averaging 11.2 points during the tournament. But Stewart, later named tournament MVP, was the team’s steady force throughout. She finished with a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds en route to her fourth World Championship gold medal, joining Sue Bird for the most in tournament history.
Five American players scored in double figures. Young added 18 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Kahleah Copper added 15 points, Chelsea Gray 12 points and Caitlin Clark 12 points off the bench.
France entered Sunday’s gold medal game outscoring its opponents by an average of 35.6 points. The French remained the aggressors throughout the first half, but looked shell-shocked when the USA flipped the script to start the third quarter.
Team USA came out of the break with a ferocity that was missing in the first two quarters.
Stewart used a screen from Gray to get downhill for a clear look at the rim, tying the game with a layup to start the second half. On the next play, Collier put the USA ahead with a backdoor off an assist from Young. Before the quarter ended, the USA had a 16-point lead, which they increased to as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter.
France’s biggest deficit in the tournament before Sunday’s game was 7 points against Korea. France was led by Dominique Malonga with 21 points and seven rebounds, and Gabby Williams added 20 points. She was held scoreless in the third quarter, not scoring until under the two-minute mark in the fourth quarter.
The next World Cup will be played in Tokyo in 2030 with a changed date, from November 26 to December 8. The schedule change means there will be no overlap with the WNBA schedule as the league’s footprint continues to expand.
