Clark double-double powers USA past China in World Cup opener

The United States opened its FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign with a 94-61 victory over China in Berlin on Friday, powered by a double-double from Caitlin Clark. The Guardian, citing agency reporting, said Clark finished with 14 points and 11 assists as the defending international power took control early and pulled away after halftime.

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Rhyne Howard matched Clark with 14 points, while Jackie Young added 12. The result extended the United States’ winning streak at the World Cup to 31 games, a run dating to its defeat in the semifinals of the 2006 tournament.

The Americans are navigating a transition with a younger roster featuring Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. None of those three started against China, but all were on the court together late in the opening quarter. The United States used that period to establish a 27-14 lead and set the pace for the rest of the game.

China responded early in the second quarter through 19-year-old center Zhang Ziyu, who was making her first World Cup appearance. Zhang’s size created problems around the basket at both ends, and her first field goal cut the margin to 33-25 with 6:21 remaining before halftime. The United States answered decisively, closing the half on a 16-4 run to lead 49-29. Young converted a three-point play during that surge, and Breanna Stewart scored its final four points.

China paired the 7-foot-3 Zhang with 6-foot-10 Han Xu in the third quarter, giving the Americans a formidable interior challenge. China narrowed the deficit to 53-37, but could get no closer. Clark, Bueckers and Reese then helped drive a 17-5 run to finish the period, restoring full control for the United States.

Zhang ended her debut with 13 points and made nine of 10 free throws. Han contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. Those performances gave China production inside, but the United States’ balanced scoring and response to each attempted comeback secured a comfortable opening win and kept its long World Cup streak intact.