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Caitlin Clark made history in her FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup debut, but the Indiana Fever star was already focused on what Team USA had not accomplished. Clark recorded 14 points, 11 assists and three rebounds in a 94-61 victory over China. She became the first player in World Cup history to finish with at least 10 assists and zero turnovers.
She also broke the Team USA record for assists in a World Cup debut and earned FIBA Player of the Game recognition. It would have been easy to celebrate the numbers and move on.
Clark instead warned that the Americans would need to continue improving throughout the tournament.
“We played well yesterday,” Clark said. “But you have to keep getting better as the tournament progresses.”
Clark added that Team USA’s chemistry should improve with each additional game.
The comments were originally reported by Jenna Black of the Indianapolis Star. One game later, Clark’s message looked less like a routine response and more like a necessary warning.
Team USA’s narrow escape shows why Clark demanded more
The United States followed its 33-point victory over China with a 55-52 escape against Italy. Team USA scored 39 fewer points than it had in the opener. The Americans shot 29 percent from the field, made only two of their 24 attempts from 3-point range and committed 13 turnovers.
Italy led late in the fourth quarter and had an opportunity to force overtime at the buzzer. The Americans survived, but the performance revealed exactly why Clark was unwilling to treat the victory over China as proof that Team USA had reached its potential.
The roster is overwhelmingly talented. It is also attempting to build cohesion during a short international window while players adjust to new roles. Clark and Paige Bueckers, two of the most productive guards in the WNBA, have come off the bench behind Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young. Star players accustomed to controlling their professional offenses must determine when to attack and when to defer.
MORE: FIBA asks Paige Bueckers to explain viral moment with China’s 7-foot-3 star
Against China, everything looked natural. The United States recorded 26 assists, scored in transition and received points from every player on the roster.
Italy slowed the pace and forced the Americans to operate in more difficult half-court possessions.
That does not mean Team USA should panic. Winning a close game can be valuable in a tournament that will become more challenging in the knockout rounds.
It does mean Clark was right.
The opening win was impressive, and her record-setting debut deserved recognition. Neither guaranteed the United States would cruise through the rest of the World Cup. Clark knew the chemistry needed to grow. Team USA’s second game proved how quickly that growth could become essential.
English (US)