US Women's Basketball Aims for 5th Straight World Cup Win

The US women's basketball team is one win away from making history again.

After a hard-fought 76-66 victory over Spain in Berlin, the Americans advanced to their fifth consecutive FIBA World Cup final. They'll face France on Sunday in what promises to be an electric rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal game, which the US won by just one point.

This semifinal was different from recent years. The Americans had cruised through their previous four World Cup semifinals by an average of 26 points, but Spain pushed them to dig deeper. The game was tied at 58 heading into the fourth quarter, forcing the US to show their championship grit when it mattered most.

That's exactly what they did. The Americans opened the final quarter with a 12-2 run to pull away for good. Breanna Stewart led the way with 16 points, while Kahleah Copper added 13 crucial points.

"When you're in a tournament like this, it doesn't always have to be pretty," said center Aliyah Boston, playing in her first World Cup. "You just have to come out with the win."

The Ripple Effect

This team's dominance extends far beyond one game. The US has now won 35 straight World Cup games dating back to 2006, a remarkable streak that spans nearly two decades. A victory on Sunday would tie the former Soviet Union's record for most consecutive tournament titles at five.

Coach Kara Lawson, leading the US at a World Cup for the first time, praised her team's defensive intensity in the crucial fourth quarter when they held Spain to just eight points. That lockdown defense, combined with clutch scoring, created the separation they needed.

France defeated host Germany 86-64 to set up the championship showdown. While the Olympics final is recent history, French player Janelle Salaun says the team is focused only on what's ahead, not what's behind them.

For the Americans, the message is clear: they're ready to write the next chapter of their historic run, one game at a time.