Team USA turned a rematch of the last FIBA Women’s World Cup gold medal game into another convincing win.
The United States beat China 94-59 on Friday in Berlin, controlling the game from the opening quarter and never trailing. Jackie Young scored 12 points with three rebounds and three assists, while Chelsea Gray added five points, two assists and a steal.
All 12 U.S. players scored. Sonia Citron completed the full-team scoring effort with a late reverse layup.
Young makes her mark
Young started alongside Gray and gave the U.S. an early lift.
She scored seven first-quarter points, including a pull-up jumper, floater and 3-pointer as the Americans built a 27-14 lead. Young later converted a driving layup and free throw in the second quarter.
She finished 5 of 11 from the field and added three assists without committing a turnover.
Gray had a quieter scoring night but still helped set the early tone. She knocked down a first-quarter 3, added two free throws in the second and finished with two assists.
Gray also created the first turnover of the game, picking off a pass before finding Napheesa Collier for a transition layup.
USA takes control
The U.S. won every quarter and steadily stretched the margin.
It led 49-29 at halftime, then held China to 13 points in the third while pushing the advantage to 70-42. The Americans closed with a 24-17 fourth quarter.
Team USA shot 45 percent overall and 38 percent from 3. More importantly, its pressure created separation.
The Americans forced 16 turnovers and scored 20 points off them. They also held a 19-4 edge in fast-break points and a 19-8 advantage in second-chance scoring.
China shot just 32 percent from the field and 5 of 19 from beyond the arc.
Depth overwhelms China
The scoring balance stood out as much as the margin.
Paige Bueckers and Rhyne Howard each scored 14 points. Caitlin Clark added 14 points and 11 assists, while Young finished as the fourth U.S. player in double figures.
Every American player reached the scoring column before the final buzzer.
That depth also helped neutralize China’s size. China featured 7-foot-3 center Ziyu Zhang, who finished with 11 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes. Xu Han added 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Still, the U.S. won the rebounding battle 47-41 and held a 32-28 edge in paint scoring.
The matchup carried added history after the United States beat China 83-61 in the previous World Cup gold medal game. This time, the gap was even wider.
For the Aces, Young and Gray both contributed to a dominant opening statement from Team USA.
Up next
Team USA faces Italy on Sunday, Sept. 6, at Berlin Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. PT.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
