FIBA World Champions are the USA


2010 FIBA World Champions for Women  © womensbasketball-in-france.com

The USA picked up the trophy for the FIBA World Championship for Women after beating the Czech Republic in the final (89-69).

Spain got the bronze medal after defeating Belarus (77-68).

In the classifications games, Australia beat France (74-62) to win the fifth place match, while Russia had to settle for seventh after holding off Korea (69-57).

Eva Vitecková, Hana Horáková, Diana Taurasi, Sancho Lyttle and Yelena Leuchanka, FIBA World Championship for Women all tournament team    © womensbasketball-in-france.com  Hana Horáková from the Czech Republic was elected MVP and was joined in the All Tournament Team by her team-mate Eva Vitecková.

The other members of the team are Diana Taurasi from the USA, Sancho Lyttle from Spain and Yelena Leuchanka from Belarus.

You can read highlights of the FIBA World Championship for Women news from the day's actions by clicking on the links below or by scrolling down the page:


The USA are World Champions

Spain win the bronze medal match

France lost to Australia while Russia beat Korea

FIBA World Championship Women from day eight




2010 FIBA World Champions for Women -  USA  © womensbasketball-in-france.com

USA are 2010 FIBA World Champions for Women

The match started badly for the hosts with Jana Veselá having to leave the field after just 20 seconds of play.

The USA team found it hard to crack the defense of the Czech Republic at the start of the game. They had to wait 90 seconds for their first points, which came from Tina Charles from the free-throw line.

Katerina Elhotova  © womensbasketball-in-france.com  Even though Hana Horáková opened her account and Tereza Pecková scored for the hosts the USA took an early lead with Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi scoring 4 points each for the USA (10-4).

Both sides had to work hard for their points: the USA were mainly scoring in the paint and from the free-throw line while Katerina Elhotova (left) hit a couple of three-pointers for the hosts.

The USA led (19-14) at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was end to end basketball. However the USA were slowly increasing their advantage up to 12 points with two minutes left to the break.

The hosts rallied back with 7 points in less than 60 seconds: Michaela Feranciková started the riot with 2 points, followed by a trey from Eva Vitecková to be concluded with a fast break lay-up by Horáková.

The USA went into the locker room ahead (40-35).

Sue Bird  © womensbasketball-in-france.com  In the third quarter Pecková opened the scoring for the Czech Republic. After that it became a USA show.

Once again Bird (right) and Taurasi were the catalysts as they opened up a 21-point lead (62-41) with four minutes to play in the quarter.

Angel McCoughtry took over the scoring as the USA went into the final quarter (74-52).

The Czech Republic did not give up and every point scored was cheered as if it was the winning shot. Yet the USA still maintained the advantage (82-61) with six minutes left to play.

All the players who had not played much during the game were on court at the end with the exception of Veselá from the Czech Republic.

Eva Vitecková and Angel McCoughtry in the final of the  FIBA  World Championship Women  © womensbasketball-in-france.com  The USA picked up their eighth FIBA World Championship for Women title with an (89-69) victory.

McCoughtry (no. 8 in picture) was the top scorer with 18 points. Charles had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds while Taurasi and Bird scored 16 and 11 points apiece.

Petra Kulichová was the leading scorer for the hosts with 14 points while Horáková contributed 12 points and dished out 5 assists.

Pecková was the only other player in double digits.

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Spain win third place match at the  FIBA  World Championship Women  © womensbasketball-in-france.com

Spain take bronze medal

 Alba Torrens at the FIBA  World Championship Women  © womensbasketball-in-france.com  Alba Torrens (left) from Spain was fired up from the tip-off. She scored 10 points as her side raced out to a (22-10) lead with seven minutes played.

After missing the semi-final Sancho Lyttle was back on court. She contributed 9 points as Spain dominated the first quarter (28-15).

At the start of the second quarter, Torrens continued with her three-point shooting festival but Belarus weathered the storm and started to hit three-pointers as well.

 Anastasiya Verameyenka at the FIBA  World Championship Women  © womensbasketball-in-france.com  Anastasiya Verameyenka (right) and Nataliya Trafimava started the revival for Belarus by scoring some long distance shots.

For the first time in the game Spain looked lost. It needed a shot from Anna Montañana to break the rhythm of Belarus to keep the advantage (41-28) with two minutes left to the break.

The match became a little stale as both sides struggled to find their way to the basket.

Tatsiana Likhtarovich for Belarus ended the scoring at the end of the quarter with a couple free throws. This left her team trailing (34-41) at the break.

Belarus changed tactics after the interval forcing Spain out of the paint. Spain struggled to hit their shots while Belarus chased after the score. Amaya Valdemoro battling at the FIBA World Championship Women  © womensbasketball-in-france.com

A three-pointer by Natallia Marchanka and back to back baskets from Yelena Leuchanka made it a 1-point game (45-46) with 24 minutes played.

Spain finally started to find their range from beyond the arc with Montañana and Valdemoro (left). This enabled them to go into the final quarter leading (64-53).

Belarus huffed and puffed all through the last quarter but were unable to break down the Spanish resistance.

So they reverted to attempting shots from beyond the arc, however without any luck.

 Sancho Lyttle at the FIBA  World Championship Women  © womensbasketball-in-france.com  In the final minute of the game, Valdemoro gave the fans something to cheer about as she hustled all round the court.

She blocked Leuchanka at mid court and seconds later she went toscore the last points of the game.

Spain won (77-68) and took the bronze medal with 22 points and 11 rebounds coming from Lyttle (right).

Torrens, Valdemoro and Montañana all finished in double digits with 19, 16 and 12 points each.

Verameyenka fired in 20 points for Belarus while Leuchanka finished on 14 points.

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Australia take fifth place

France were unable to cope with the physical approach of the Australians. Therefore they were on the back foot from the very first minute of the game.

At the end of the first quarter Australia completely took control of the game with a 10-0 run (21-7).

In the second quarter Lauren Jackson picked up an offensive foulafter knocking Emméline Ndongue flying to the ground.

Her jest was not appreciated by the French players. When the referee heard an inappropriate comment from Jackson he issued her with a technical foul.

Jackson had to leave the game for a while as this was her 3rd foul. Australia still maintained the advantage (26-12) midway through the second quarter.

 Marianne Tolo at the FIBA World Championship Women  © womensbasketball-in-france.com

With Liz Cambage also on the bench with 3 fouls, France started to score more regularly. Even though Céline Dumerc got her 3rd foul too and had to sit out, France was making their way back into the game.

However Marianne Tolo (left), with 11 points in the first half, helped Australia keep the lead to walk into the locker room with an advantage of 11 points (36-25).

 Elodie Godin at the FIBA World Championship Women  © womensbasketball-in-france.com  Despite trying hard all through the second half France were unable to bring down the deficit.

So Australia went on to win (74-62) to claim fifth place.

Jackson finished the game with 13 points for Australia while Godin (right) was the top scorer for France with 11 points.


Russia end their World Championship campaign on a positive note

Russia ended their tournament by beating Korea after a hard fight (69-57).

Elena Danilochkina and Illona Korstin scored 13 points each for Russia while Korea's Summin Jung and Ha Yeon Beon scored 17 and 15 points each.

Beon scored 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, while the rest of her team altogether had 5-of-7.

Russia had been undefeated during the preliminary and qualification round. They had to play without Becky Hammon in their last match of the 2010 FIBA World Championship to settle for 7th place.

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Date created: 3 October 2010


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