FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Semi-Finals

Just four teams are left in the women’s basketball FIBA World Cup, and they’ll clash on Saturday in the semi-finals.

France is set to play against Germany at 10:30 am, followed by a match between the United States and Spain. The winners from both games will compete for the gold medal on Sunday, while the losing teams will face off for the bronze.

Germany is coming off an impressive upset against Belgium in the quarterfinals. They were led by notable performances from Leonie Fiebich, who scored 17 points with 10 rebounds, Nyara Sabally adding 16 points and 12 rebounds, Frieda Buhner with 13 points, and Alexis Peterson, who chipped in with 13 points and 6 assists.

Prior to that, Germany had struggled, suffering a heavy loss to Spain during group play but managed to secure wins against Japan, Mali, and Korea.

On the whole, Germany’s offense has been powered by Buhner, averaging a team-high of 14.8 points per game, along with contributions from Sabally (12 points, 7.2 rebounds), Marie Guelich (11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds), and Fiebich (10 points, 9 rebounds).

France, in contrast, has dominated every opponent they’ve faced, which includes Hungary, Korea, Nigeria, and China. They’re led by Gabby Williams, who averages 17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds, followed by Marine Johannes at 16.5 points and 3.8 assists, along with Janelle Salaun (11.5 points, 5 rebounds), Dominique Malonga (11 points, 7.3 rebounds), and Leila Lacan (9 points, 3 assists).

The French team has been known for its tenacious defense and impressive three-point shooting, connecting on 45.3% of an average of 34.5 attempts per game, a tournament high.

Prediction: France is likely to secure a significant win.

The United States has made it to the semi-finals after routing China, Czechia, and Hungary, and narrowly edging Italy with a 3-point victory in group play. Their roster is notably deep, with nine players scoring at least 6 points per game.

Jackie Young (11 points, 2.5 assists), Napheesa Collier (10.3 points, 5 rebounds), Breanna Stewart (9.8 points, 7 rebounds), Paige Bueckers (9.5 points, 3.5 assists), Angel Reese (8.8 points, 6 rebounds), Caitlin Clark (8.5 points, 7 assists), and Rhyne Howard (8.5 points) have been standout performers for the team.

On the other hand, Spain has demonstrated strength throughout the tournament, despite an unexpected loss to Mali in group play. They convincingly defeated Germany and Japan in earlier rounds, as well as Australia in the quarterfinals.

Leading the team is 20-year-old Iyana Martin, who averages 16.5 points, 3.3 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game, all while shooting 43.5% from three-point range.

WNBA rookie Awa Fam has also played a crucial role, averaging 11.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Other key contributors include Megan Gustafson (10.5 points), Maria Conde (9.3 points, 3.8 rebounds), Raquel Carrera (6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds), and Alicia Florez (6.8 points, 3 assists).

Prediction: The United States is expected to achieve a convincing win, while Spain and Germany may end up competing for the bronze medal.