Brionna Jones of the United States (centre) was fouled by Bridget Carleton of Canada, (right) during their semi-final at the Women’s Basketball Championship in Sydney on Friday.
Rick Rycroft / AP
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Rick Rycroft / AP
Brionna Jones of the United States (centre) was fouled by Bridget Carleton of Canada, (right) during their semi-final at the Women’s Basketball Championship in Sydney on Friday.
Rick Rycroft / AP
SYDNEY – Breanna Stewart and the United States used a dominant defensive effort to beat Canada and win the World Cup’s gold in the fourth consecutive tournament.
Stewart scored 17 points and the Americans took the lead to lead Canada 83-43 on Friday. 43 points is the least scored in a semi-final in World Cup history.
“Canada has played really well in all competitions and the goal is just to get there and really limit them,” said American forward Alyssa Thomas. “We were really locked in from the jump with our game plan.”
The Americans will face China, which has overtaken Australia by a score of 61-59. The Chinese team lost to the US by 14 points in the final round – the closest match of the tournament for the Americans.
“Our goal is to win the gold medal and we have the ability to do that,” said US coach Cheryl Reeve.
The US (7-0), which is on a record pace in points and win difference in the tournament, soon took control of the game with the first 15 points. The Americans disputed every shot on the defensive side as the Canadians missed their first nine attempts from the field. On the offensive side, Stewart, A’ja Wilson and Alyssa Thomas basically get any shot they want.
“I think after that punch it really took the air out of me,” Thomas said. “They don’t know what to do with their offense after that.”
Laeticia Amihere, who plays in South Carolina for former US coach Dawn Staley, finally put Canada in the rankings after nearly five minutes of the game with a driving move.
By the end of the quarter, the US was leading on July 27. Canada has made four passes – the same number the team has against Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals, the lowest total in a single game in 30 years.
The Americans took a 45-21 lead in the first half and the lead continued to widen in the final 20 minutes. Victory was the biggest gap for the US in the medal round, topped by a 36-point win over Spain in the 2010 World Cup.
Canada (5-2) advanced to the medal round for the first time since 1986 and had its first medal chance since winning bronze that year.
“We didn’t finish it today, but what we’re going to do is take this with what we learned today and how we can finish it tomorrow,” the Canada captain Natalie Achonwa said. “It’s still a game to win medals and it’s also important for us.”
The United States has won seven of its eight meetings with Canada in the World Cup, although the most recent came in 2010. The only win for Canada was in 1975.
The Americans’ 29th consecutive win in the World Cup, the team hasn’t lost since the 2006 semi-final against Russia. The Soviet Union holds the World Cup record with 56 consecutive wins from 1959-86. This is only the second time in the history of the Americans they have achieved four gold medal competitions in a row. They also did it from 1979-90, winning three times.
This American team, which has plenty of newcomers, also continued to dominate the group even without the 6-foot-8 Brittney Griner, well ahead of the 55-24 average.
Amihere leads Canada with eight points.
