The United States advanced to the Fiba Women’s Basketball World Cup final for the fifth consecutive time, pulling away in the fourth quarter to beat Spain 76-66 on Saturday in Berlin.
Breanna Stewart scored 16 points and Kahleah Copper added 13 for the four-time defending champions, who were tied at 58 entering the fourth quarter before finally taking control. Jackie Young added 12 points.
“I think it’s two great teams going to go head-to-head,” Copper said. “You know I’m excited for the matchup. I’m excited for us to be able to compete.”
Spain led 13-4 midway through the first quarter and trailed only 39-36 at halftime. María Conde and Iyana Martín hit three-pointers early in the third as Spain erased the deficit, while Martín’s two free throws with 53 seconds left sent the game into the fourth tied at 58.
Copper and Young scored to open the fourth before Stewart helped the US create separation. The Americans stretched their lead to eight with just over six minutes remaining before Young’s steal and layup made it 76-64 with 1:42 left.
Conde and Martín scored 17 points apiece for Spain, who held the Americans to 40% shooting. The US made only three of 18 three-point attempts, while Caitlin Clark finished with one point and missed all three of her shots from beyond the arc.
US coach Kara Lawson was happy with the defense in the fourth quarter when the team held Spain to only eight points.
“I thought defensively, it was the best we had played, from guarding the ball to guarding the ball screen to boxing out and limiting to one shot,” Lawson said. “Every phase of defense, we were precise and we were locked in, so when we get all that going together, we feel like we can create some separation.”
To Aliyah Boston, who was playing in the World Cup for the first time, the game had an NCAA Final Four feel to it.
“When you’re in a tournament like this, it doesn’t always have to be pretty. You just have to come out with the win,” she said. “For us, it’s about not hanging our heads. I think we did a great job with our rotations. Everyone came in, gave energy, gave great minutes, scored the ball. It’s about making sure that when your name is called, you’re ready to go.”
The victory extended the Americans’ World Cup winning streak to 35 games. The US, unbeaten at the tournament since a semi-final loss to Russia in 2006, will face France in Sunday’s final after the French defeated host Germany 86-64.
The hotly anticipated final will be a rematch of the 2024 Olympic gold medal game, where the US escaped with a 67-66 victory after France’s Gabby Williams stepped on the three-point line on a potential tying shot at the buzzer.
“I think it’s two great teams going to go head-to-head,” said Kahleah Copper, who had 13 points in the win against Spain. “You know I’m excited for the matchup. I’m excited for us to be able to compete.”
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