This was the best possible outcome for USA women's basketball.
Another title at the FIBA World Cup, of course, their record-tying fifth in a row. Add in their eight consecutive Olympic gold medals, and
there is little question the Americans are one of the greatest dynasties. Of any sport, from any era.
All dynasties eventually end, however, and the rest of the world is gaining on the Americans. Which is why Team USA’s performance at this World Cup, the final in particular, was so significant.
Don’t be fooled by the final score, a 97-79 victory over France on Sunday, Sept. 13, in Berlin, Germany. Les Bleues pushed the Americans. Hard. Even harder than they pushed the Americans at the Paris Olympics. At one point in the second quarter, France had a 14-point lead, Les Bleues were draining 3s as if they were playing Pop-a-Shot and Gabby Williams was dominating.
Rarely had the Americans looked this beatable, even in that Italy game earlier in the tournament.
But they figured it out. They started getting defensive stops, making jumpers and exerting their will inside. They closed the half on a 26-14 run that pulled them within two, then came out with a vengeance in the third.
Team USA pulls away in third quarter
The U.S. shut Williams down, took away the 3 and generally made life miserable for France on both ends of the court. By the time the third quarter was over, the Americans had a 16-point lead and any threat to their reign was a distant memory.
“Credit to France, they're a really tough team and they continue to play us tough whenever we see them. But I think my message to the team before the game is we are the standard,” Team USA captain Breanna Stewart, who was named the tournament MVP, said.
“USA Basketball has continued to show up and go for gold, and to have done that however many times consecutively is an insane stat. And we want to make sure that we continue to build on that standard and everybody else knows it. ... We let the rest of the world know that our goal is always gold.”
Yes, it was the vets who got the Americans back into the game. Stewart finished with 22 points — on 7-of-10 shooting — 10 rebounds and four assists. Jackie Young, who had double figures in every tournament game, had 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. Chelsea Gray had 12 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal.
Young Americans showed world what they've got
But Team USA coach Kara Lawson already knew what she was going to get from them. Stewart, Young and Gray, as well as Napheesa Collier and Kahleah Copper, know what it takes to win in an international tournament because they’ve done it.
The youngsters, the seven players representing Team USA at a major international tournament for the first time, did not. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Rhyne Howard, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen were all tested on the international stage.
“This wasn't your typical USA Basketball team,” Lawson acknowledged. “I think it just shows the strength of our federation and really the strength of our players. In the biggest moments, they continue to play their best. And that is such an incredible quality. It's a quality that not a lot of people have. And we're just lucky in the United States that we have that in spades.”
Global game is improving
The rest of the world is going to continue to challenge the U.S. women. France was already salty about that near-miss in Paris, and this will only fuel Les Bleues further.
“We're showing little by little France is a basketball country,” Williams said. “That was my goal when I joined this team, to change the culture. Obviously we have higher expectations, but we'll get there."
Add to that Italy and Spain, both of whom tested the Americans mightily. Germany, too, who reached the semifinals despite not having Satou Sabally. Clark, Reese, Bueckers, even Boston and Howard — they all now know exactly what they’ll be facing in Los Angeles.
And they’ll know they can handle it. Because they did here.
Clark made a monster 3 just before the break to pull the U.S. with two, then had one of her best stretches of the entire tournament in the second half. Reese had at least one difference-making defensive play in every game while France is going to be looking over its shoulder for Howard until Los Angeles. Boston was both solid and consistent.
Bueckers didn’t play much in the final, but she's seen it. Felt it. Knows what it’s like to be on the back foot and find a way to turn the game around.
These are the kind of experiences that will keep the U.S. women at the top of the game, even as the rest of the world comes ever closer.
“They have high intelligence. They're highly skilled. They're very competitive. They really wanted to contribute to this team and help us win, and they knew we needed them,” Lawson said. “Now you have those experiences and now you have the confidence when you get in a tournament like this again to continue to help us win.”
The Americans leave this World Cup as a seasoned team. This title will help them win others. It doesn't get better than that.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Team USA gets more than a title at FIBA World Cup | Opinion
