Stellar Showdown – FIBA Women’s World Cup Final

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to post regularly over the past few days, and I couldn’t update my blog with the individual events of the spectacular Women’s Basketball World Cup, which has raced at lightning speed toward its final act. As the cover and the predictions suggested, the title will be contested by the USA and France in tonight’s final in Berlin — but let’s take a few steps back to understand how we got here.

And let’s start again with Italy, who after beating the Czech Republic in their opener and coming close to a miracle against the star‑spangled world champions, found themselves drained of both physical and mental energy in the last decisive group match against China. They suffered a clear defeat, losing by 20 points (51–71).

Winning would have secured a round of 16 spot (or “play‑in,” call it whatever you prefer) that looked slightly softer on paper, against Puerto Rico. But finishing third in Group D instead handed the Azzurre a far tougher opponent: Australia, a team with a long tradition in women’s basketball and packed with physical, talented players.

Despite the Oceanic side entering the game without Alanna Smith, and then losing the physical presence of Ezi Magbegor after just a few minutes — she took a nasty fall on the court — Italy could do nothing against Australia’s dominance for three quarters.

At the final break, the scoreboard read 69–49 for Australia, but this is exactly where basketball once again proved to be an incredible sport. Thanks to an extraordinary fourth quarter, won 31–13, the Azzurre came within a whisker of completing a historic comeback. Their last shot — the one that would have sent the game to overtime — was literally spat out by the rim after making a cruel loop inside it.

Coach Capobianco’s players ultimately left the competition with their heads held high, despite finishing with one win and three losses. Standing toe‑to‑toe with powerhouses like the United States and Australia added real value to an experience our women’s basketball had been missing for 32 years. What was often lacking was the experience needed to manage delicate moments or back‑to‑back games, but Italy can look to the future with optimism.

Falling under the blows of the hosts were not only Japan and Mali, in Group A, but also South Korea in the play‑in and, above all, the European champions Belgium, never in the game and overwhelmed for all 48 minutes. However, Spain and Germany could do little in the semifinals against the two heavy favorites, the USA and France, and will face each other today in the consolation final — a rematch of the tournament’s opening game.

And here we are at the grand final, the one everyone expected. The obligatory favorites, the Americans — winners of the last four editions of the World Cup — against the Olympic runners‑up, who in the Paris final lost by a single point precisely to the United States.

An epic matchup, with an unpredictable outcome. The strongest versus the most spectacular: has Europe’s moment finally arrived, or will we witness yet another American triumph? We’ll find out shortly, and we — late or not — will be here to talk about it together.

I'm part of ITALYGAME Team

together with:
@girolamomarotta, @sardrt, @mikitaly, @mad-runner, @famigliacurione

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