USA World Cup team improving by leaps & bounds...

[DavidinNaples]

The USA team has most of the best women's basketball players in the world. The issue is practicing together enough to make the incredible talents mesh together as a team. Anticipating cuts to the basket, switching on defense, knowing where teammates will set up on offense is easy when you play together for months. Those are not easy when players arrive on a Tuesday and suit up for a game 2 days later.

Here are 5 very positive takeaways from the game against Latvia Tuesday:

1. Sue Bird and Elena Delle Donne did not play and USA still beat Latvia handily, 102-76.
2. Seven players scored in double figures with Tina Charles (18), D.T. (16) and Brittney Griner (15) leading the way. USA also had 12 points from A'ja Wilson, 12 from Stewie and 11 from Jewell Loyd. Balanced..!!
3. A total of 26 assists on 37 baskets. Only 10 turnovers. Every player except Griner had an assist. Unselfish play..!
4. Free throw shooting of 21-25 (84%) with 8 of 10 players reaching the charity stripe. D.T. went 6-6.
5. Newcomers are stepping up on the big stage. Jewel with 3-4 shooting from 3 pt range. Layshia Clarendon dealing 7 assists and grabbing 4 steals. Kelsey Plum with 5 assists & 0 turnovers.

USA has depth on the roster, balanced scoring and now practice time to gel together as a team. Next game is not until Friday against Nigeria. (I think...)

Not hard to see this team playing for the Gold medal..!!

Go USA..!!

 

[eebmg]

I would say, having BG and EDD at their physical best together with some desperately needed practice time are the biggest factors. We have Nigeria in the Quarters and very likely France in the Semis who need to beat Turkey in the knockout game. The way France just capitulated to Canada in the second half does not bode well for a competitive match for the US until the Finals.

 

[DavidinNaples]

Other USA team stats from the 3 games so far...

1. Tina Charles shooting 18-30 or 60% from the field. Stewie also 18-30 from inside the arc.
2. A'ja Wilson has more free throw attempts (20) than Kelsey Plum (11) and Layshia Clarendon (7) have taken shots from the field.
3. Stewie is the leading scorer with 49 points, leading rebounder with 20 and leading shot blocker with 4.
4. USA with 78 assists on 111 baskets (70%).
5. As a team, USA is shooting 86% from the free throw line. (51-59)
6. In 3 games, USA has scored 87 points, then 100 points and finally 102 points.

Defense is holding opponents to 40% shooting overall, 30% from three range. It will only get better..!!

Go USA..!!

 

[EricLA]

Great stuff as always David. Not overly impressed with the margin of victory which I believe has more to do with defense than offense. Love the assists, team play, and they way the newbies are starting to mesh with the others.

But defensively, there are lapses. Mostly missed rotations and help defense, but I will say our FT defense has been pretty solid thus far!

I also think the players are still getting used to the physicality of what's allowed in international play vs. the WNBA. I agree that the team is getting better each day...

 

[Bama fan]

Both leaps and bounds are a big part of basketball, so it is good to be improving in both areas.

 

[eebmg]

Oh crap. Nigeria up 17-9 after 1Q. Get Geno back.

 

[eebmg]

Oh crap. Nigeria up 17-9 after 1Q. Get Geno back.

Probably should take that back until we come out slow again. Much better second half

 

[Undercovervol]

we looked terrible in the first half.

 

[Undercovervol]

Where is geno? I miss his intensity

 

[eebmg]

One player improving by leaps and bounds.

Ever the MVP, Stewart steps up to lift U.S. to World Cup semis
Stewart finished with a game-high 19 points, going 7-of-8 from the field with three rebounds and five assists.

"Stewie's been tremendous for us. So Stewie's someone we need on the floor a lot," USA coach Dawn Staley said. "I think she played the longest stretch of any player throughout the game, but that was out of necessity."

This is the role Stewart wants, because that's her mentality. Over the years, as much as Team USA has been stocked to the roof with talent, certain players just always seem to have that extra something that lifts even their fellow superstar


Staley said after Friday's game she traces Stewart's preparation for this national-team role back to the 2014 World Cup, when Stewart was just a rising junior at UConn. She didn't play much for Team USA then, taking just eight shots total. But she watched and learned. She was in a bigger role by the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, averaging 8.1 points per game. And now she's at the top of the totem.

"You have to prep for that," Staley said. "You can't just think you can come in and have the type of impact that she's having. You have to mentally and physically and spiritually prepare for that, and she didn't take that time lightly.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Where is geno? I miss his intensity

In the front rise of the stands with his wife.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Check out various hilites and the occasional full game here:

fiba women's basketball world cup 2018 - YouTube

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Should be more , longer game hilites here: