Team USA will face off against the French national team Sunday, a match that has been correctly described as a rematch between the gold-and-silver-medal-winning teams at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games — and also a game that could have consequences for how future battles on the world stage unfold.
The American team has won the last five World Cup tournaments they've played in, and are the expected favorites. But the French team has a chemistry and cohesion that Team USA hasn't quite found yet, despite boasting the best women's basketball team in the world. That's in part because the structure of both teams is so different — many French basketball players begin playing on their national teams and with one another at club teams from much younger ages, and are often grouped together for years.
But raw talent cannot be underestimated. Both teams have it, but it's nearly impossible to dispute that the Americans have the edge. The team's game against Spain, which Team USA won 76-66, offered proof positive of that fact; though the game was competitive for nearly the entire four quarters, Breanna Stewart ultimately led her team to the win and secured their spot in today's finals.
The game wasn't an easy one, nor was it an especially beautiful game of basketball. In addition to Stewart's performance, the Americans were able to rely on rim pressure from veteran Kahleah Copper and shooting from Jackie Young, who had 12 points by the time the game was finished. But the game was marked by plenty of out-of-bounds passes, missed buckets, and an overall slower pace that worked in Spain's favor.
Stewart's playing in her fourth World Cup this year, after first stepping onto the international stage in 2014. Remarkably, she was still a student at UConn when she did so — something that seems nearly impossible now, with the wealth of talent that's available in the WNBA. She has since won three World Cup gold medals and three Olympic gold medal, and is clearly looking to continue that trend.
Besides on-court skills, if there's something Team USA seems to have over most of its opponents, it's the dogged determination to not give up. Sure, every team wants to stay in the World Cup as long as possible, and nearly every team that the Americans have played has tested them and pushed the team into tight spots, but they've found a way to rally and win each time. Today's game will ultimately be a test of who wants it more — and it's anyone's call.
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