The United States extended their dominance in international basketball by clinching their 12th FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup title. In a highly anticipated final held in Berlin on Sunday, the Americans defeated a spirited France squad 97-79 to maintain an unbeaten streak at the tournament that dates back to 2006, now stretching to 36 consecutive victories.
France, making their first-ever appearance in a World Cup final, aimed to avenge their narrow one-point defeat in the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal game. They executed a strong start, maintaining a three-point lead after the first quarter and extending that advantage to 14 points midway through the second. Gabby Williams, who starred in France’s semifinal victory over Germany, led the charge with 16 points in the first half alone.
However, the tide turned just before the interval as the U.S. began to recover. After trailing by two points at halftime, the defending champions surged ahead with a commanding 30-12 performance in the third quarter. Veteran star Breanna Stewart spearheaded the American offense with a game-high 22 points, while Jackie Young provided critical support with four vital three-pointers, finishing the game with 18 points.
Caitlin Clark, who had struggled with a single-point performance in the semifinals, made a significant impact down the stretch. The Indiana Fever guard contributed 12 points, including two successful shots from beyond the arc, as the U.S. tightened their defense and limited Williams to just four additional points in the second half. By the fourth quarter, the Americans had successfully stifled the French momentum to secure a comfortable victory.
Entering the tournament as favorites, the U.S. team had navigated a challenging path, facing near-upsets against Italy and Spain. Earlier in the day, Spain successfully rebounded from their semifinal loss to the Americans by capturing the bronze medal, defeating host nation Germany 81-58. The report also notes that having not lost a World Cup match since 2006, the Americans were below their best for much of the tournament before walking away with the trophy on Sunday, perennial red-hot favourites. The report also notes that but turned it on when it mattered, outscoring the Europeans 30-12 in the third quarter, uSA trailed by two points at half-time to an energetic France side.
