SYDNEY – Ugly basketball is ok as long as you win.
The third day of the FIBA Women’s World Cup started off with the USA facing its toughest test with China both 2-0 in Group A standings. Team USA jumped out quickly 9-0 on threes but China tied the game 13-all and then it got ugly.
Both teams ran their offenses, China running pick and rolls while the USA did the same with occasional drives but inefficiency reigned as each shot in the mid 20s and the USA led 18-13 after one quarter. More missed shots and layups continued in the second quarter but the USA three-point shooting gave them a 44-25 halftime lead. That evaporated midway as China used patience, height and sets to close to within 9 points, 56-47, at the end of three quarters.
It took the veteran trio of Breanna Stewart (32min), Chelsea Gray (12pts) and A’Ja Wilson (20pts) to carry this game over the finish line as the America prevailed 77-63 to move to 3-0 in Group A play. Starter Alyssa Thomas added 12 points in a team leading 32:25 minutes.
Even though this was a double-digit win the game felt closer as a very vocal and partisan crowd for China made this seem like a home game.
“The crowd was just like when we play at home,” said Chinese National Team Coach Wei Zheng. “The spectator’s enthusiasm made us feel just (as if) we were playing in China.”
“The crowd came out to support (China). You love that, you cherish that,” said USA point guard Chelsea Gray. “This is an experience. Down the road we’ll talk about these moments, how there was a lot of fans. We’re playing. It felt natural, it felt good. We feed off the energy from a crowd. So, I love that atmosphere.”
This mostly partisan crowd rooting for China made a mostly double-digit lead for the USA seem like it was a 2-point game.
“I think they feed off it maybe a little bit more,” said USA National Team Head Coach Cheryl Reeve. “We told them ‘Look, they play in the third and the fourth just as hard as they do in the first and second (quarters). And, they’re not going away.’, Especially in these competitions where the point differentials is so massive. You going to play all the way to the last possession.”
“Our defense continues to be stellar,” continued Reeve. “That’s a team that’s been averaging over 100 points a game. We held them 63, and 22 points in one quarter and that was a third of their point. They made more threes but we got to the foul line more. Both teams played well and got to do the things they wanted to do but we made plays”
OFF DAY: The USA Team will have off on Sunday with the two big games Australia vs Serbia and Canada vs. Japan – two monster games. Australia and Serbia both have identical records 1-1 with France. Top two teams make it out of Pool B and seeded opposite the USA Pool A but the next four teams are not seeded but into a draw with point differentials counting. That means in brutal Pool B one great program may not make bracket play. Right now Canada 2-0 is sitting in the drivers seat with Japan and Australia (Sunday evening here) as their final two must win game. Canada got by Serbia 67-60 on opening day and then came back smashed host Australia in a stunning 59-45 game. Australia beat France on opening day 70-57 to give the Aussie must win contests with Serbia (Monday) and Canada. France must beat Serbia and Japan to advance with the various tiebreakers.
