By Doug Feinberg The Associated Press
September 13, 2026 - 5:19 pm
BERLIN — Breanna Stewart had an American emblem draped astir her assemblage arsenic she soaked successful the moment.
The U.S. skipper scored 22 points, Las Vegas Aces defender Jackie Young added 18, and the Americans continued their domination of planetary play, winning a 5th consecutive women’s FIBA World Cup rubric with a 97-79 triumph implicit France connected Sunday.
The Americans person won 36 consecutive World Cup games, dating to the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup, erstwhile they mislaid to Russia.
“We are the standard,” said Stewart, who earned MVP honors of the tourney for the 2nd time. “USA Basketball has continued to amusement up and spell for golden and to person done that nevertheless galore times consecutively is an insane stat. We privation to marque definite that we proceed to physique connected that modular and everybody other knows it.”
Despite the last score, this crippled was not easy; the Americans faced their biggest shortage successful the tourney since that nonaccomplishment to Russia erstwhile they were down 14 points successful the archetypal fractional to France. They calmly rallied down Stewart and Young to get wrong 2 astatine halftime, with Caitlin Clark hitting a 3-pointer conscionable earlier the buzzer.
“I deliberation we felt truly bully astir wherever we were at,” said Clark, who finished with 12 points. “I deliberation France was 8 for 14 (from 3-point range). We dug ourself a hole, but we climbed retired of it, and I felt similar we were ne'er rattled by anything.”
Young changeable 7-of-14 and had 4 3-pointers, six rebounds and 5 assists. She was named Player of the Game.
The U.S. dominated successful the 2nd half, starting the 3rd 4th with an 11-2 tally to spell up 54-47. Stewart, who has 4 World Cup titles to her name, had 4 points during the game-changing burst.
France was capable to get wrong 55-51, but the Americans utilized a 16-3 tally that included 2 unsportsmanlike fouls against France connected the aforesaid play. The Americans were up 73-57 heading into the 4th quarter.
“I’m truly blessed with the mode that we fto the remainder of the satellite cognize that our extremity is ever gold,” Stewart said. “Just truly proud.”
The U.S. improved to 9-0 successful golden medal games since finishing 2nd successful 1983 to the Soviet Union.
This was the second-youngest squad the Americans person sent to a World Cup. There were galore newcomers connected the roster including Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, who were playing for the nationalist squad for the archetypal time.
Dominique Malonga scored 21 points and Gabby Williams added 20 for France.
Spain topped big Germany to triumph the bronze medal.
English (US)·