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    Team USA, China arrange title face-off at Fiba Women's World Cup

    US women a win away from gold medal
    Sep 30, 2022
    Chelsea Gray US Canada
    PHOTO: AP

    SYDNEY — Breanna Stewart and the United States used a dominant defensive effort to beat Canada and reach the gold-medal game of the Fiba Women's World Cup for the fourth consecutive tournament.

    Stewart scored 17 points and the Americans raced out to an early lead to put away Canada 83-43 on Friday. The 43 points was the fewest scored in a semifinal game in World Cup history.

    “Canada has been playing really well all tournament and the goal was just to come out there and really limit them,” said U.S. forward Alyssa Thomas. “We were really locked in from the jump with our game plan.”

    Chinese beat Opals

    The Americans will face off with China for the gold. The Chinese beat the Opals, 61-59, in the other semifinal.

    “Our goal was to win a gold medal and we're in position to do that,” U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve said.

    The U.S. (7-0), which is on a record pace for points and margin of victory in the tournament, took control of the game early by scoring the first 15 points. The Americans contested every shot on the defensive end as the Canadians missed their first nine attempts from the field. On the offensive end, Stewart, A'ja Wilson and Alyssa Thomas basically got any shot they wanted.

    “I think after that punch, it really took the air out of them,” Thomas said. “They didn't know what to do with their offense anymore after that.”

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      Canada (5-2) advanced to the medal round for the first time since 1986 and has a chance to win its first medal since taking the bronze that year.

      The U.S. has won seven of the eight meetings with Canada in the World Cup, although the last one came in 2010. The lone victory for Canada came in 1975.

      The victory was the 29th in a row in World Cup play for the Americans, who haven’t lost since the 2006 semifinals against Russia. The Soviet Union holds the World Cup record with 56 straight wins from 1959-86. This is only the second time in the Americans' storied history they've reached four consecutive gold medal contests. They also did it from 1979-90, winning three times.

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      This U.S. team, which has so many new faces on it, also continued to dominate the paint even without 6-foot-8 Brittney Griner, outscoring opponents by an average of 55-24.

      Han Xu had 19 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks to lead China (6-1). The two teams played earlier in the tournament and China gave the Americans their closest game, losing by only 14 points.

      “I'm proud of my team," said Han, who was serenaded with MVP chants after the win.

      With the game tied at 59 with 46 seconds left, Cayla George missed a shot from the top of the key as the shot clock ran out giving the ball back to China setting up the chance.

      After China worked the clock down, Huang Sijing was fouled and calmly sank both free throws.

      Australia had one last opportunity, but Ezi Magbegor’s layup was short at the buzzer.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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      PHOTO: AP
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