Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark helped Team USA advance to the FIBA Women's World Cup semifinals on Thursday with a dominant 108 to 56 victory over Hungary in Germany.
While forward Napheesa Collier led the Americans in scoring, both Clark and Reese delivered stat lines in the blowout win. Clark recorded 10 points, three rebounds, and nine assists, while Reese registered nine points, six rebounds, and three assists as the team dominated their European opponents.
The performance highlighted a growing on-court connection between two of women's basketball's biggest names, who have successfully transitioned from intense collegiate and professional rivals into national team teammates.
On-Court Connection
Reflecting on the team's progression through the tournament, Reese praised the squad's developing cohesion as they move deeper into the knockout rounds. "When you have so much talent around you, it makes everything easy," Reese said after the game.
The Atlanta Dream star noted that while the roster is still finding its rhythm after playing only a few games together, the timing of their improvement is ideal. She explained that everyone is "just trying to figure out the team. We're still figuring each other out."
"But I think we're gelling at the perfect time," Reese added. "Being able to go into semifinals looking like this feels really good. I'm excited."
Familiarity on the Floor
When asked specifically about her productive partnership with Clark during the tournament, Reese explained how their extensive history as opponents has helped them form a seamless connection on the floor. "Yeah, I mean, we've played against each other so many times, so I'm sure we know each other's game like the back of each other's hand," she said.
"So just easily dishing it off to her, she dishes it off to me," Reese continued. "She knows my slides, so I kind of got one to her today, or maybe two. So it's fun."
Reese emphasized that their partnership is set to continue for years to come with the national program. "We just continue to build chemistry because we know we're going to be USA teammates for a while," she said.
The partnership marks a dramatic shift for basketball fans who followed Clark and Reese during their collegiate careers at Iowa and LSU. Their rivalry gained national attention during the 2023 NCAA Division I national championship game, where Reese led LSU to victory over Clark's Hawkeyes. That competitive dynamic carried over into the Women's National Basketball Association, the premier professional women's basketball league in North America, where both players emerged as standout figures and driving forces behind rising league popularity.
World Cup Campaign
Now sharing the court for USA Basketball, the pair has helped lead an undefeated campaign at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Germany. The quadrennial tournament, organized by the International Basketball Federation, features the world's top national teams competing for the international title.
The United States advanced to the knockout stage after sweeping through a preliminary group that featured China, Italy, and Czechia without dropping a single game. Historically the most dominant team in women's international basketball, the Americans are competing to secure a 12th World Cup championship title.
Team USA now moves on to Saturday's semifinals, where they will face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Spain and Australia.
