US basketball players at the World Cup: Most challenging tournament

It could have been the sensation of the tournament. Italy is only four points short of doing what no team has managed at a major tournament in 20 years: beating the USA on Sunday evening. The defending champions then win their second group game and their 32nd World Cup game in a row. And yet the game showed that the USA's supremacy in women's basketball can be overturned.

In the very well-attended arena at Ostbahnhof (9,200 spectators), the cheers of the US fans were almost drowned out by the boos and whistles of the Italian fans after the final whistle. Some Italian players' emotions briefly run high on the field. And yet: Italy celebrates the 52:55 result almost like a victory.

Both star player Cecilia Zandalasini and her coach Andrea Capobianco said they were proud of their team after the game. Finally, after a weak, nervous start and a deficit of 11 points after the first quarter, his team managed to rally, catch up and even take the lead for a while. In the end, however, the necessary composure is missing. Perhaps the Italians, whose greatest success was bronze at the European Championships last year, were a little intimidated by the big name USA.

After the game, US coach Kara Lawson spoke of a “performance below their standards”. Yes, the result reflects that; among other things, the Americans left a lot of simple baskets lying around. But it also reflects the strong defense and relentlessness of the Italians. And shows that a team that “only” has one WNBA player in its squad, namely the strong Zandalasini, can now still keep up with a US team. Women's basketball is not only booming in the USA, quality and strength have long been found in Europe too. And so Lawson rightly states that the tournament is the “most challenging ever”. Because there is international competition.

Of course, the USA remains the top favorite. They are the “Queens of the Basketball World”, as the world association (FIBA) puts it; 11-time world champions, 10 Olympic gold medals and much more. The current squad also plays entirely in the strongest league in the world - both in terms of sporting performance and financially: the WNBA.

Some people even talk about a “dream team”. A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum, two experienced star players, had canceled their World Cup participation at short notice. But there are another five world champions in the squad as well as some highly regarded young players. Including, of course, the hyped point guard Caitlin Clark.

She fills the halls in the States when she is on the floor for Indiana Fever. And at her World Cup debut on Friday in the Max Schmeling Hall against China, she received twice as much applause as all the other players when she came in. Yes, Clark plays incredibly well, brings speed into the game, defends consistently, switches quickly, always passes at the right moment with her overview of the game, and scores herself. But she also knows: “Everyone I pass the ball to, I have the feeling that they will never miss.” You couldn't wish for a better starting position for a World Cup.

And the US team delivered accordingly in the opening game against – note – vice world champion China (94:61). The team seemed surprisingly well-coordinated, although it actually couldn't get used to it because the WNBA season was still running until recently.

After the game, a group of young people ran down the stands with a hand-painted sign that read “Caitlin, you’re my idol” to be close to their idol. Shortly before, she was also named “Player of the Game” with 14 points and 11 assists. It's exactly what women's basketball hopes for: role models, excitement, growth, more role models, more excitement, even more growth.

This enthusiasm can also be felt among the numerous spectators at the game against Italy on Sunday. But it's no longer just the US team that is exciting. With the narrow victory, they have now moved into the quarter-finals early. But the seemingly invincible team is beatable and that makes this tournament particularly exciting.