BERLIN — Team USA is moving on to the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup after going a perfect 3-0 in the group stage.
The Americans first beat China. Following a rough outing with Italy, Team USA matched its pedigree with a 105-64 win over Czechia to close the group stage Monday.
On Tuesday, Hungary used its much larger lineup to wear down Japan 84-63 and set up a quarterfinal match with the United States on Thursday.
“When you have a performance you are not pleased with, the best thing to do is be honest and grow.” U.S. coach Kara Lawson said. “We need to keep that mindset as we get ready for the medal round.”
It wasn’t a surprise that veterans like Breanna Stewart responded after the three-point win over Italy. However, younger players Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese also scored in double figures. Sonia Citron, who was a late replacement for the injured Kelsey Plum, played 14 valuable minutes and scored 10 points against Czechia.
“I was super pumped to get out there,” Citron said. “There was a lot of energy out there. I am ready whenever they ask me to be out on the court. That is always my mentality. It’s (the quarterfinal) another opportunity to play in the tournament. It’s single elimination, so the pressure is on a little bit.”
Citron is scoring just under 17 points per game in her second season with the Washington Mystics, where she is a teammate of Kiki Iriafen. Team USA also added Iriafen to the roster at the last minute to replace A’ja Wilson. Citron said she was in Los Angeles about to play against the Sparks when she received the call.
“Sonia has been good in terms of feeling her way through,” Lawson said. “It’s challenging to get the call late in the game and not know you are coming here and then have to learn so quickly. But she is a very high IQ player. She has a great feel for the game. She understands how to play off of people. She does a great job on and off the ball.
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“You have to remember, Sonia is just 22 years old, and with seven first-time players on the national team. We are a very young team. She has had a nice progression, even though her minutes have not been as large as some of the other players on the team. I thought this was her best stint tonight. I think she is getting more comfortable. We all have a lot of confidence in Sonia and what she brings to the team. It was good to see her have some extended play out there.”
Napheesa Collier, who turns 30 later in September, is now one of the veterans on the team. A winner of the Olympic gold medal in both Tokyo and Paris, she missed the 2022 World Cup after recently giving birth.
“I am just trying to pay it forward to what was paid to me,” Collier said. “I had amazing vets on Team USA for so many years, and now that I am in that position, I want to be an amazing vet for the younger people. To have that calm composure, especially when the games get harder, I think is really important.”
Through the group stage, Jackie Young is leading Team USA in scoring at 11.3 points per game, which ranks 36th overall in the entire tournament, illustrating the team’s balance in its first three games.
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Looking forward to Hungary
The Hungarians are making their first World Cup appearance since 1998, the previous time Berlin hosted. They finished the 1986 edition in eighth place, but there were no quarterfinals at the time, so this marks an historic achievement.
“I am excited to play against the best players in the world and the best team in the world,” Reka Lelik said. “I’ve never had the opportunity to play against them, so I am very excited. We will do everything for sure, but I want us to enjoy the game. What Italy did with defense is amazing. We need to focus on all 40 minutes. We cannot lose focus for one second. Offensively, we need to be brave against them.”
Lelik, a 27-year-old shooting guard, led Hungary with 23 points in its win over Japan that secured its spot in the quarterfinals.
Through an interpreter, Hungary head coach Peter Volgyi added that Hungary needs to keep doing what it has been doing, learn from every game, and that players need to have their best performances if they hope to knock out Team USA.
