U.S. Women’s Basketball Team Defeats Spain to Reach FIBA World Cup Final

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The U.S. women’s basketball team secured a victory over Spain with a score of 76-66. This win propels them to the championship game of the women’s FIBA World Cup. Key players Breanna Stewart and Kahleah Copper contributed significantly, scoring 16 and 13 points respectively.

The upcoming final will see the U.S. face France. This game is a replay of the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal match, which the U.S. team won by a narrow margin. Currently, the U.S. boasts an impressive streak of 35 consecutive wins in the World Cup, dating back to their last loss in 2006 against Russia.

Securing one more win will allow the U.S. team to clinch a fifth straight tournament title, matching the record held by the former Soviet Union. Despite dominating their previous games, the Americans faced challenges against Spain’s robust defense, complicating their offensive execution.

Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Photo

The semifinal game in Berlin remained competitive until the fourth quarter. The score was tied at 58 before the U.S. team gained momentum. They seized a 70-60 lead, the largest margin in the game, with 5:20 remaining. Spain struggled to close the gap to less than eight points subsequently.

The U.S. presence at the foul line was notable, converting 27 out of 35 free throws. This match marked the first World Cup encounter between the U.S. and Spain since their clash in the 2014 tournament, from which the U.S. emerged victorious.

Initially, Spain led the game by scoring nine of the first ten points. This marked the most significant deficit the Americans faced in this tournament, surpassing the previous three-point shortfall against Italy.

The U.S. drew the score closer in the first quarter, ending with a 12-2 run. However, they struggled to increase their advantage in the second quarter due to Spain’s aggressive defense. The Americans had 27 free-throw attempts in the first half, successfully making 19. Their field-goal attempts totaled 26, and they led 39-36 at halftime.

Spain will now compete against host Germany in the bronze medal game on Sunday.