Team USA dominates China to open FIBA Women’s World Cup
Team USA began the defense of its FIBA Women’s World Cup gold medal with a 94-61 drubbing of China in Berlin on Friday. The Americans, with a stacked roster of WNBA players, were led by Caitlin Clark, who scored 14 points and added 11 assists in her Team USA debut. Rhyne Howard also had 14 points and made a team-high four 3-pointers. Paige Bueckers, who was in early foul trouble, added 14 points…
On Friday, Team USA made a strong start to its defense of the FIBA Women’s World Cup gold medal by defeating China 94-61 in Berlin. Led by Caitlin Clark, the Americans outshone their opponents with Clark scoring 14 points and adding 11 assists in her team debut. Rhyne Howard contributed 14 points and made four three-pointers, while Paige Bueckers added 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Despite early foul trouble, Bueckers remained key for the team, particularly in the second half. Coach Kara Lawson praised both Bueckers and Caitlin Clark for their playmaking and ability to stretch the floor against China's zone defense. The Chinese team featured 19-year-old Ziyu Zhang, who stands at 7 feet 4 inches. She scored 13 points, grabbed six rebounds, and blocked two shots in 18 minutes.
Clark, when asked about dealing with Zhang's height, expressed surprise at facing such a large opponent in the WNBA, admitting she had never encountered such a challenge before. The victory provided valuable insight for scouts regarding Zhang's potential performance in the 2027 WNBA Draft. Team USA will face Italy in the second of three group-stage matches on Sunday.
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