USA Women’s Basketball defeats Puerto Rico 91-48 in FIBA World Cup qualifiers despite sluggish performance

Team USA women’s basketball notched their second win of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers on Thursday, defeating host Puerto Rico 91-48 in San Juan. However, the victory came with notable challenges as the team struggled to replicate the fluid performance they displayed against Senegal the previous night.

« I thought the game was a little clunky, » said Caitlin Clark, who scored eight points after recording a double-double in her previous outing. « We probably didn’t play our best. » The stark contrast between Wednesday’s scorching offense and Thursday’s stagnant play was evident, as Team USA committed 14 turnovers and lost much of their transition game pace.

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Rotation experiments and tactical adjustments

Head coach Kara Lawson continued her experimentation with lineups, starting an almost entirely new group featuring Paige Bueckers, Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray, Monique Billings and Kiki Iriafen. Bueckers led all scorers with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while Plum contributed 12 points, including eight in the game’s first five minutes.

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Clark found herself in a different role, rotating in for the final five minutes of each quarter alongside various combinations of teammates. The Indiana Fever guard briefly appeared to jam her finger in the second quarter after a foul on the 3-points line, falling to the ground and shaking out her hand, but she made two of three free throws and continued playing without issues.

« All of these players start with their respective WNBA teams. If they are not the No. 1 option, they are the No. 2 option on their team. So, you’re asking them to play a different role, » Lawson explained. « They’re all doing it willingly and trying their best. »

Building chemistry through adversity

Clark attributed many of the team’s struggles to Puerto Rico’s zone defense, which disrupted their transition opportunities. « I thought we missed some of our defensive coverages, especially with how much we were, too, it really limits us in transition when we want to play fast, » Clark said. « It’s hard to push off of a made free throw. »

Lawson emphasized the importance of these qualifying games for team development. « This tournament is our only chance before the World Cup to have games, » she said. « We can have training, but not actual games — actual FIBA games in an environment … and it’s not just the reps and the games. It’s also having the opportunity to be around our veteran players and be around our staff. »

Angel Reese recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, while Iriafen contributed 10 points on perfect 5-of-5 shooting with five rebounds. Team USA will face Italy, New Zealand and Spain in their remaining San Juan games before the World Cup begins September 4 in Germany.