Kaia Anderson, online publishing coordinator
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The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) recently held its championship on Sept. 13. During the game, Team USA won its 12th championship and extended its streak of consecutive wins to five. This year’s team included players from various Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) teams, such as Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream, and Naphessa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx.
The FIBA Women’s World Cup began in 1953 and is held every four years. The inaugural games took place in Chile, where 10 teams competed, including the United States. The U.S. team took home gold after the championship match against Chile, winning 49-36.
They won again in 1957, facing the Soviet Union in a game that ended 51-48. Despite back-to-back wins, Team USA did not win another World Cup for 22 years. The third World Cup was hosted by the Soviet Union, prompting the United States and its allies not to participate. During these 22 years, the Soviet Union won six gold medals and two silver medals, with five of those gold medals won consecutively. From 1979 to 1983, major basketball tournaments, including the FIBA Cup and the Olympics, lacked major players due to the Cold War. It was not until 1983 that all major teams competed again, including the U.S., the Soviet Union, South Korea, Australia and China. The Soviet Union won that World Cup, claiming victory in every game played. The 1998 FIBA Women’s World Cup marked the first appearance of Team Russia after the Soviet Union dissolved.
Team USA managed to win again in 1979 and has won back-to-back championships since 2010. This recent winning streak has made the team the one to beat. In the most recent tournament, Team USA went 3-0 during the qualification round, defeating China, Italy and Czechia to advance to the quarterfinals. There, they faced Hungary in a 108-56 victory. This win sent them to the championship, where they beat France 97-79. The first half of the game was close, with France narrowly leading 20-17 in the first quarter and 45-43 at halftime.
At the start of the second half, the United States mounted its comeback when Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty made a layup to put the U.S. ahead of France, 49-47. This momentum allowed the U.S. to score 30 points in the third quarter, making it 73-57. In the final quarter, the United States maintained its lead, scoring 24 more points and securing the FIBA World Cup.
The WNBA season has resumed play since the World Cup ended, with playoffs beginning Sept. 27. Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx have nailed down the #1 spot, and once again, Collier plays an integral role on the team everyone is looking to beat. The Lynx will play either the Dallas Wings or the New York Liberty in the first round of the playoffs.
“Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx have nailed down the #1 spot, and once again, Collier plays an integral role on the team everyone is looking to beat.”
Kaia anderson