USA wins FIBA

[Zarathustra]

The Olympics will certainly look different if Cambage comes back for
Australia... and ..... if Brittany Griner is back for the USA! Bring
Brittany HOME!!

 

[TeamFirst!]

China's post play was solid overall. Both were very young and talented. China was missing their top scorer also with a fever. I wonder how their covid approach almost ordains having some covid issues in these sorts of tournaments.

Stewie had a bad game for her but we just had too much talent overall and more athleticism. Thomas was pouring in sweat from the 1st quarter on. Does anyone work harder than she does? Sweat was just pouring off of her.

 

[EricLA]

The Olympics will certainly look different if Cambage comes back for
Australia... and ..... if Brittany Griner is back for the USA! Bring
Brittany HOME!!

I doubt that will ever happen. From what i understand, the entire Australian team said "if she comes back, we walk". that was back when Cambage got into it with the Team Nigeria (i think it was Nigeria). I was surprised anyone in the WNBA wanted to take her on, given her history. She lasted a bit then bailed.

She always has an excuse (now "oh it's my mental health - thank you to all my supporters for giving me strength"). At some point people will likely get hip to her act and stop buying it. Not saying she doesn't have mental health issues, or that if she does, that it's not serious, but she seems to be the gal who cries wolf.

 

[Dillon77]

Funnily enough, the US is so deep that the Olympic team may be radically different from this World Cup team. A team which will still be 20 points better than any of these other World Cup teams which will pretty much have the same rosters.

I think there will be some reshuffling for the Olympics coming up next.

Agree with both of you that the team that goes to Paris may be quite different from the one we saw in Sydney.
Due to the pandemic, the Olympics were pushed back to 2021. Factor in the administrative/coaching switches and short(er) time frame between the Olympics and the World Cup, this team was put together on the fly.

The five players that stick for me are Stewie, Wilson, Thomas, Gray and Plum, with Jewell -- even with several no-shows on offense -- in mind. However, lots of opportunity for some players who were backups (Jones, Ionescu) and those who didn't make the team and/or didn't even get invites. One of the areas I'd like to see a net cast is outside shooting -- namely some sharpshooters who can come in and stretch team defenses.

That said, great job by all concerned here. Well done.

 

[Iluvacc2]

The first half was "only" close because USA was practically 0-fer in 3-point shooting. It opened up in the 2nd half especially with Loyd and Gray hitting outside shots. And of course Plum. Just goes to show how deep USA is. Take out Stewie or Wilson for 1 game and we still rout China.

Every cycle, people keep saying "the rest of the world is catching up". USA proved that even tho the team hardly practices together, give them 2 weeks in a tourney, and they will still still steamroll. Team USA always gets stronger during an event because it's just about the only time they have to practice together.

Overall most impressed with Stewie, Wilson, Gray, Thomas and Plum. Aside from a nice 2nd half, Loyd was MIA for most of the tourney. Atkins had some nice moments. Not sure why Laney made the team. Autin has a nice future as does Ionescu. Jones had some nice moments but not sure she's the future. I thought Copper would have more of an impact but she was sick towards the end of the tourney.

I think there will be some reshuffling for the Olympics coming up next.

Co-sign the bolded!

I believe Boston will get enough experience from her senior year and WNBA rookie season to make the Paris roster. Copper was playing very well before her injury in the quarter finals. That Serbian team was very physical

 

[eebmg]

Co-sign the bolded!

I believe Boston will get enough experience from her senior year and WNBA rookie season to make the Paris roster. Copper was playing very well before her injury in the quarter finals. That Serbian team was very physical

I thought in that one televised pretournament game, Boston played better than Austin. I think the main issue was that Reeve wanted a team that could run all out in transition (especially since with such quick turnaround set plays and half court offense is not ideal) and I think Austin is better in that kind of game.

 

[Zarathustra]

Perhaps Coach Reeves wanted a taller (practice) player , S. Austin, to provide
the some "lenght" needed to help prepare the USA's regulars for the lean and taller
Chinese??. Boston , I believe, will be on the next team! I continue to obsess
about that Chinese player: Meng Li. I looked up the FIBA stats
on her. Losing her was the equivalent of the USA losing either
A'ja WIlson or Kelsey Plum. I believe that Meng Li was rated # 4
behind A'ja and just ahead of Kelsey on the tournament overall
stat sheet . Check the FIBA stats and " individuals"
for more details.. Of course stats don't tell the whole story, but she was one of their
two 3 point threats. China will be back!