USA's Strong Second Half Blast France for Fifth Straight FIBA World Cup Gold

Read Time:2 Minute, 27 Second

Team USA brought home its fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup gold medal and 12th title overall in Berlin, putting together a dominant second half to defeat France 97–79. After falling behind by as many as 14 points in the first half, the Americans unleashed a punishing 30–12 third-quarter run to put away Les Bleues in a rematch of the Paris 2024 Olympic final.

France’s Hot Start Forces American Reset

France looked poised for a monumental upset early in Berlin, dissecting the U.S. defense with crisp ball movement and heavy perimeter production. Behind a red-hot opening half from 20-year-old phenom Dominique Malonga (21 points) and Gabby Williams (20 points), France built a 14-point advantage before heading into halftime with a 45–43 lead.

However, head coach Kara Lawson adjusted her defensive coverage at the break, pressing France’s ball-handlers and denying easy entry passes into the low post.

Second-Half Surge Seals the Gold

The Americans took complete control in the third frame. Breanna Stewart delivered a classic championship performance, anchoring the interior with a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, Jackie Young provided crucial perimeter scoring with 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists, and Kahleah Copper poured in 15 off the bench to shatter France’s defense.

Caitlin Clark added instant offense off the bench, scoring 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting—including two three-pointers—in under 12 minutes of action. The U.S. completely dominated the glass with a 38–25 rebounding edge, turning defensive stops into fast-break opportunities to push the lead to as many as 27 points.

THE U.S. BEATS FRANCE TO GET ITS FIFTH-STRAIGHT FIBA WORLD CUP GOLD 🥇

USA has now won 36 STRAIGHT games in World Cup competition 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/bvCyZ7QWG0

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 13, 2026

A Muzzled Bench: Why Lawson Kept Her Superstars Stashed on the Pine

While a win is a win, head coach Kara Lawson’s head-scratching rotation management almost turned a Gold Medal victory into an avoidable disaster. By leaning so heavily on her veteran core, Lawson kept generational talents like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese tethered to the bench for vast stretches while France built a 14-point first-half lead.

These aren’t raw prospects waiting for garbage-time minutes—they are proven, all-world WNBA and collegiate superstars capable of breaking open any game with their lethal combination of perimeter shooting, playmaking, and interior rebounding. Trusting a deeper bench rotation earlier wouldn’t just have spared the U.S. the heart-in-throat stress of fighting back from double digits; it would have allowed the Americans to turn their suffocating depth into an immediate, comfortable rout.

An Unbroken Legacy

With the victory, the United States extends its international winning streak to 36 games across World Cup action, solidifying its place as the most imposing dynasty in global basketball history.