Defending champions USA fell behind early but stormed back past France 97-79 on Sunday to win the Women’s World Cup.
In a rematch of the 2024 Olympic final, the American women came out on top once more, earning their fifth consecutive World Cup title and stretching their impressive unbeaten run at Olympics or World Cups to 20 years.
The perennial red-hot favourites, who had not lost a World Cup match since 2006, the USA were below their best for much of the tournament. They came into Sunday’s game looking vulnerable, having come close to defeats against unheralded Italy and again against Spain in the semi-finals.
No team had come within 20 points of France as they cruised into a maiden World Cup final, and they started strong on Sunday.
The US trailed by two points at half-time to an energetic France side but turned it on when it mattered, outscoring the Europeans 30-12 in the third quarter.
The French had to settle for silver in their best ever World Cup finish, despite leading by 14 points at one stage.
USA captain Breanna Stewart, top scorer with 22 points, helped her team carve out an early five-point lead, anchoring the scoring in the beginning stages.
But the French exploded into action, quickly found their three-point range and, led by Gabby Williams, went on a 21-2 rampage that saw them open up that 14-point advantage early in the second quarter.
The Americans started chipping away at the lead and trailed by just two points at the break after Caitlin Clark hit a massively important three-pointer at the buzzer.
France were seeking revenge for their one-point loss in the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics but lost their composure as the Americans turned on the afterburners in the second half.
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Consecutive triples from Kahleah Copper and Jackie Young gave Team USA a 58-51 lead and they never looked back, with another Clark three-pointer stretching their lead to 19 points at the start of the fourth quarter. The French could not break past a hard-working defence.
Earlier on Sunday, Spain soothed the disappointment of their narrow semi-final loss to the US by claiming bronze with an 81-58 win over Germany.
The Spanish went close to a major boilover on Saturday, pushing the heavily favoured Americans all the way in their semi-final, levelling the scores at 58-58 three-quarters of the way through the match, before the US pulled away.
On Sunday, Spain were in control throughout against the spirited but limited hosts, who had never reached the final four of the tournament as a unified country.
Top-scorer Iyana Martin was one assist away from a double-double, with 20 points while grabbing a game-best nine dimes.
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