GOD55 Sports | USA Survive Italy Scare as Jackie Young Leads 55-52 FIBA Women’s World Cup Win

Jackie Young and Breanna Stewart delivered in the clutch as the USA survived a thrilling 55-52 battle against Italy to secure a place in the FIBA Women’s World Cup quarter-finals.

Jackie Young delivered when it mattered most, while Breanna Stewart hit her only basket of the game to help the United States survive a major scare against Italy, securing a 55-52 victory at the FIBA Women’s World Cup on Sunday. The win moved the Americans to 2-0 and secured their place in the quarter-finals.

Key Highlights

USA beat Italy 55-52 to improve to 2-0 and clinch a quarter-final berth.
Jackie Young scored six of her 10 points in the fourth quarter to lead the late comeback.
Breanna Stewart's only basket gave the USA a 51-50 lead with 3:20 remaining.
Caitlin Clark scored just one point, while the USA shot only 28.6% from the field and 1-for-12 from three.

Jackie Young Sparks USA In The Fourth

The USA entered the final quarter with only a 42-39 lead before Italy repeatedly took control. Italy moved ahead by two points on three occasions, putting the Americans under serious pressure. But Jackie Young stepped up in the closing minutes, scoring six of her team-high 10 points in the fourth quarter.

With 3:20 remaining, Breanna Stewart finally got on the scoreboard, hitting a jumper assisted by Young to put the USA ahead 51-50. Young then followed up with a floater on the next possession before Chelsea Gray added a pull-up jumper with 1:07 left to give the Americans some breathing room.

Italy Push USA To The Limit

Italy refused to go away quietly. After Gray's basket, the Italians quickly responded with a two-pointer to cut the deficit to 55-52. Gray missed on the USA's next possession, but Young grabbed the offensive rebound, allowing the Americans to run down valuable time. Italy had one final opportunity to force overtime, but Cecilia Zandalasini missed a three-pointer with three seconds remaining.

Stewart Struggles From The Field But Controls The Boards

Stewart endured a difficult shooting night, finishing just 1-for-9 from the field. However, the star forward made a crucial impact elsewhere, grabbing 11 rebounds to help the USA hold on. Angel Reese added eight points, while Paige Bueckers contributed seven points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark struggled offensively, shooting 0-for-6 from the floor and finishing with just one point.

USA Survive Despite Poor Shooting

The Americans escaped despite an uncharacteristically poor offensive performance. The USA shot just 16-of-56 (28.6%) overall and went only 1-for-12 from three-point range. They made up for it at the free-throw line, where they outscored Italy 22-14.

For Italy, Cecilia Zandalasini led the way with 14 points and seven rebounds. The Golden State Valkyries player was also at the centre of the game's final moment after missing the potential game-tying three.

Zandalasini was seen arguing with the referees after the buzzer, claiming she had been poked in the eye on the play. She later apologized for her reaction. “I would like to apologize for how I reacted in the end,” Zandalasini said.

USA Keep World Cup Streak Alive

The victory keeps the USA's remarkable FIBA Women's World Cup run going, with the Americans narrowly avoiding their first tournament defeat since the 2006 semi-finals. According to NBC Sports, it was also the USA's closest World Cup game in 20 years.

With their quarter-final place already secured, the Americans will now look to build momentum after surviving one of their toughest World Cup tests in recent memory.