SYDNEY – A week ago A’ja Wilson was hoisting the WNBA championship trophy for the Las Vegas Aces after beating the Connecticut Sun for the title. Now, eight days (counting date changes) Wilson is now in full USA Basketball mode after collecting her second 20 point game as the USA breezed to a 145-69 win over Korea to go 4-0 in Pool A at the FIBA World Championship. Not bad for missing the first two games getting to Sydney.
”I feel like I am feeling everything at this point after being numb through it all,” said WNBA MVP Wilson. “I am happy to be here. It’s been crazy just to shift it. With the Aces I am one of the top players where I have to produce and I come here and it’s coming from everywhere.
“You’re playing with a lot of good people,” continues Wilson. Just the role shift is something I love because I don’t have to really focus on locking on what I need to do like I do for the Aces. USA kinda gives me a breath. I can come off the bench now and be good. It’s been a lot of fun and hopefully in December I can take a break and take it all in. It’s been a week of craziness.”
The USA put up crazy numbers in the first quarter on offense but didn’t Korea didn’t hold back either as the Americans ended the first quarter up 32-21. There wasn’t a lot of defense here compared to the China game, but this game was more like a ‘run’ where everyone just went up and down the floor. The end result was never in doubt and it gave everyone a chance to play and get points.
Team USA scored an resounding 90 points in the paint and shot 69% from the two. Brionna Jones came off the bench and pushed in a team leading 24 points while Kelsey Plum got 18 points and USAWNT rookie Shakira Austin added 16. Breanna Stewart threw in 18 points in just 14 minutes of play. This was an all hands effort as everyone on the roster scored.
“Our size was a problem for them,” said USA Women’s National Team Head Coach Cheryl Reeve. “We wanted to add another layer of to our defense and that was the ability to press. We have to look at, as we get closer to playing medal games, Is that something we can use, things we can get better in terms of our rotation. “
GAME NOTES: The USA beat Brazil’s total point record of 143 set in 1990 while also eclipsing their own record of 119 in 2006 vs China and vs Angola in 2014. The team is quarantined a spot in the medal round with the victory and should end up 5-0 with a game against winless and eliminated Bosnia Herzegovina remaining. The only big game tomorrow is the first contest with Puerto Rico and Korea vying for a playoff spot for the winner in Pool A. Belgium and China will advance.
The big issues are Pool B where Canada faces Australia later this evening which will help decide the seeding where the top two (Canada has one spot assured) are set in bracket play and the other two (out of Australia, Serbia and France) are put into the draw pool. Japan and Mali were both eliminated today.
