Host Germany has avoided embarrassment at the women’s FIBA World Cup with a comfortable 83-58 win over Mali. Germany faced the prospect of early elimination. France has set a record for 3-pointers in a single game at the tournament with 22 against already-eliminated Nigeria in a comprehensive 111-56 victory. Migna Toure’s 3-point shot with 5:45 left was her team’s 21st. That broke the three-day-old record of 20 set by Japan on Friday. Dominique Malonga notched the 22nd. France was already assured of its place in the quarterfinals. Belgium and Spain progressed to the quarterfinals. China and the U.S. won their final group games.
Breanna Stewart had 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists to help the United States rout the Czech Republic 105-64. The Americans rebounded from their worst preliminary-round game in 50 years after edging Italy 55-52 on Sunday. Stewart set the tone early to make sure that wouldn’t happen again as the U.S. won its 33rd in a row in the tournament, going back to a semifinal loss to Russia in the 2006 World Cup. Next up for the U.S. is the quarterfinal round on Thursday. They’ll face the winner of the Hungary vs. Japan game which takes place Tuesday.
Julie Allemand stands alone atop the assist list in World Cup history. Allemand broke Laia Palau of Spain’s mark of 108 assists in the first half of Belgium’s 80-68 win over Australia that clinched a spot in the quarterfinals. Besides Palau, Allemand has passed Dawn Staley and Sue Bird’s numbers in this tournament. The Belgian guard started the World Cup with 87 assists. She already has 24 in the first three games, setting the record at 111 assists. Belgium coach Mike Thibault says, “it’s a huge accomplishment.”
Italy has given the United States a huge scare in the women’s FIBA World Cup. The U.S. survived its toughest test at the tournament in two decades with a 55-52 win over Italy. China needed overtime to edge the Czech Republic 74-70 in another thriller. Han Xu scored 22 points and drew China level at 53-53 in the final quarter after her team had trailed for most of the game. Emma Meesseman completed the scoring as European champion Belgium (2-0) booked its place in the final phase with a comfortable 76-64 win over Puerto Rico (0-2). Australia reached the final phase with a physical 87-71 win over Turkey. Australia next plays Belgium to decide which progresses directly to the quarterfinals as group winner.
The United States faced its stiffest challenge in nearly two decades in the women’s FIBA World Cup and escaped with a win over Italy thanks a few timely baskets late and a key defensive play by Chelsea Gray. Jackie Young scored 10 points to lead the struggling offense in the 55-52 win on Sunday. It was the fewest points the Americans had scored in a World Cup win since they beat Australia 42-38 in 1967. The U.S. has won 32 straight World Cup games dating to a loss to Russia in the 2006 semifinals. Only one team had come within single digits of the Americans during this run before Sunday, when Australia lost by eight in 2010.
Mali pulled off the first stunner of the Women’s Basketball World Cup by shocking Spain 82-73. It was only the second win ever in tournament history for the African country, which also beat Senegal in overtime in 2010. Mali outscored Spain 31-19 in the third quarter to take control. Mali went on a 16-4 run in that period. Sika Kone, who finished with 19 points, had two 3-pointers during that game-changing run. Mali (1-1) scored the first five points of the fourth quarter, including another 3-pointer by Kone to put the game away as Spain could get no closer than nine the rest of the way.
The Los Angeles Sparks have hired Ariana Andonian as their new general manager. She officially joins the team next month, replacing Raegan Pebley, who was fired in mid-July. Andonian has been the general manager of the Delaware Blue Coats, the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers, and served as the 76ers’ vice president of player personnel. Sparks managing partner Eric Holoman praises her as an exceptional talent evaluator and forward-thinking executive. Andonian previously worked for the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is retiring at the end the year, bringing to a close her seven-plus years at the helm of the league and a stewardship that has been transformative and at times tumultuous. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced Engelbert's decision on Friday. Engelbert, who turns 62 in November, is the second-longest tenured WNBA president or commissioner. She helped negotiate a lucrative collective bargaining agreement this past spring that resulted in the league’s first set of million-dollar player salaries. Along with the financial gains, however, turmoil, tension and a strained relationship with players also have been a part of her tenure.
Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter says a lawsuit filed by former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom is “meritless and frivolous.” Freedom is alleging that his First Amendment rights were violated when he was ejected from the Sky’s WNBA game against the Indiana Fever on Aug. 23. He is seeking damages and the removal of his ban when it comes to attending games at Wintrust Arena. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Illinois. Alter says Freedom "was removed for his conduct, not his speech.”
Saki Hayashi and Japan have set records for three-pointers on the first day of the Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany. Hayashi scored nine three-pointers to beat the previous record of eight as she helped Japan to a 102-97 win over Mali. Altogether Japan scored 20 threes to beat its shared team record from 1994. Caitlin Clark also starred on her tournament debut for the United States. Clark had 14 points and 11 assists to help the U.S. beat China 94-61 in its opener in Berlin. China was led by 7-foot-3 Zhang Ziyu. Awa Fam led Spain to an 83-53 win over Germany. There were wins also for Belgium, South Korea, Australia and Italy.
