Team USA's Caitlin Clark Decision Sparks Backlash at FIBA World Cup
A decision involving Caitlin Clark and other players in the Team USA strategy for the FIBA World Cup drew backlash.
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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- Clark and Bueckers shine in World Cup debuts as the US women rout China 94-61 apnews.com
- Clark and Bueckers shine in World Cup debuts as the US women rout China 94-61 winnipegfreepress.com
- Team USA dominates China to open FIBA Women’s World Cup sports.yahoo.com
- D’Tigress lose to South Korea in World Cup opener punchng.com
