Jackie Young is Team USA’s leading scorer heading into the knockout stage! 🇺🇸🔥🪄

Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers wrapped up the group phase as two of Team USA’s top contributors. Now, they’ll enter the knockout stage looking to continue that level of play in their first FIBA World Cup. We made a post about it already, but it’s worth repeating. During the group phase, Bueckers ranked second on the team in points, assists, and efficiency rating while ranking first in steals+blocks and field goal percentage—all while coming off the bench. She opened the tournament with 14 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals in a win over China before filling the stat sheet with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in a three-point win over Italy. Bueckers also knocked down Team USA’s lone three-pointer of the game at a time when Italy had built momentum, helping put an end to its run. Today, she added 10 points on 62.5% shooting while dishing out 5 assists without a turnover and recording 2 blocks. Then there’s Reese, who finished the group phase fourth on the team in scoring while ranking second in both rebounds and steals+blocks. She also ranked inside the top five in efficiency rating. Like Bueckers, Reese did all of this while coming off the bench. The 6’4 forward chipped in 8 points, 2 blocks, and a steal in that three-point win over Italy before putting together her best performance of the tournament against Czechia. Reese finished with 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals in the win. Reese ranks sixth on the team in minutes and seventh in shot attempts, but she has done a tremendous job converting the opportunities she’s gotten, ranking second in field goal percentage behind Bueckers. She has also made a living cleaning up her teammates’ missed shots and creating extra opportunities for Team USA on the offensive glass. Bueckers and Reese will now await their next opponent, which will be either Hungary or Japan. A win would send Team USA to the semifinals, where Australia, Italy, or Spain could be waiting. With Bueckers, Team USA has one of the most efficient guards in the tournament, along with someone who has shown she can make an impact defensively. With Reese, they have an elite rebounder who can create scoring opportunities for herself and others through her work on the glass while also providing high-level defense. The competition only gets tougher from here, and Team USA’s margin for error gets smaller with every round. If they plan on leaving the World Cup with another gold medal, the impact Bueckers and Reese have provided on both ends of the floor could become even more important when the games matter most. 🪄

Team USA’s leading scorers through the group phase Jackie Young: 11.3 PPG (+3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG) Breanna Stewart: 10.3 PPG (+8.3 RPG, 3.0 APG) *Paige Bueckers: 10.3 PPG (+3.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG) *Angel Reese: 8.7 PPG (+6.0 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG) * = Off the Bench 🇺🇸✨