BERLIN — Team USA came to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup with perhaps the most talked-about collection of young American stars in years. Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese have helped bring enormous attention to this roster.
But when the United States suddenly found itself in real danger of seeing one of the most dominant streaks in international basketball come to an end, Team USA turned to the players who had been there before.
Chelsea Gray. Jackie Young. Breanna Stewart.
And the veterans delivered.
The United States escaped Italy with a 55-52 victory Sunday in Berlin, surviving its closest FIBA World Cup game in 20 years and extending its World Cup winning streak to 32 consecutive games. The Americans have not lost in the competition since falling to Russia in the 2006 semifinals.
This one looked nothing like the United States’ 94-61 opening victory over China.
The Americans struggled offensively, and Jackie Young acknowledged afterward that Italy’s physicality contributed to Team USA never finding its normal rhythm.
“They came out with a lot of energy. They were super physical with us, and we came out a little bit flat. So, just [had to] pick it up on the defensive end. We can’t control — some days our shots are going to go in, some days they don’t — but the one thing that we can control is our effort.”
That effort became critical in the closing minutes.
With Team USA clinging to a 51-50 advantage, Young delivered one of the biggest baskets of the afternoon to push the lead to 53-50. Zandalasini answered by hunting a three on the other end, but couldn’t connect.
Then Stewart began making her presence felt defensively.
The two-time WNBA MVP helped disrupt Italy’s late possessions and secured critical rebounds as the United States desperately tried to keep the Italians from completing the upset. After Aliyah Boston missed an opportunity inside, Italy received another chance, only for Stewart to again come away with the basketball.
That put the ball back into the hands of the player nicknamed the “Point Gawd.”
Gray calmly went to work and knocked down the basket that extended the American advantage to 55-50.
It proved to be the winning basket.
Italy cut the deficit to three and still had one final opportunity to force overtime. Zandalasini launched a three-pointer with approximately three seconds remaining, but the shot missed, allowing the United States to finally exhale with a 55-52 victory.
Young finished with 10 points in the gritty victory, but the story of the closing minutes went beyond any single box-score number. When the game became uncomfortable, Team USA relied heavily upon the experience of Gray, Young and Stewart alongside Boston.
That was particularly notable considering the star power sitting elsewhere on the American roster. Clark, Bueckers and Reese represent a major part of the future of USA Basketball. All three have already become attractions at this World Cup.
Sunday, however, wasn’t about the future.
It was about surviving the present.
Young said the Americans never turned on one another despite their offensive struggles.
“Everybody was super encouraging. No one got down because they were missing shots. We just kept motivating each other. We know the ball is eventually going to go in. … Whenever it came down late, we were able to make some shots.”
Those shots preserved a remarkable run.
The United States’ World Cup winning streak now stands at 32, correcting the 31-game figure immediately after the final buzzer. Before Sunday, Team USA’s closest victory during that streak had been an eight-point win over Australia in 2010. Italy reduced that margin to three.
For years, Team USA has assembled rosters talented enough to overwhelm opponents.
Italy forced this version to show something different.
It forced the Americans to execute under pressure, defend when shots weren’t falling and trust the players with experience navigating international basketball’s biggest moments.
Everybody may have come to see America’s newest stars.
But when Team USA’s historic streak was on the line, the veterans saved it.
