Team USA is on an unbeaten streak of 36 games in the World Cup since 2006, but for Team USA on Sunday, the hardest challenge in Berlin came from a 14-point deficit against France.

USA's women's basketball team overcame a deficit to beat France 97-79 in the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Final, where Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever player, made history on the bench in her first game on the senior national team. 

The guard from the Fever notched 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting in 13 minutes, leading the reserves that erased a 14-point deficit and gave the Americans their fifth straight world championship.

It is notable because that's how the game actually went, as France got up 31-17 at halftime until the buzzer-beating three-pointer from Clark reduced their deficit to 43-45.

That play would be the difference maker for the whole match and is the reason fans immediately identified Clark as that player once the dust settled in Berlin.

Clark was already making history with her first-ever appearance in the tournament, as she scored 14 points and gave 11 assists without making a single turnover against China in the World Cup opener. 

This first-game performance is linked to Clark's game during the championship game, because staying calm under pressure kept being a characteristic feature of hers during all four quarters of the match.

In the third quarter, Clark made another buzzer-beater, which increased Team USA’s lead to 73-57, and then hit a three-point shot in the early part of the fourth quarter, making the gap even wider at 27 points.

The overall performance laid the foundation for the fans to recognize what contributions were made by Clark once the game came to an end in Berlin.

Fans Praise Caitlin Clark's Bench Impact in the Final

One fan wrote, "Caitlin Clark saved the day for Team USA. Closing quarters changes games, and her three-pointer off the bench before halftime that cut France's lead to 2 was the biggest play of the day. She changed the momentum."

This statement directly refers to the buzzer-beating three-pointer from Caitlin Clark, which reduced the gap between France and USA in the lead to 43-45 and gave the latter control of the match for the second half.

Another fan wrote, "Caitlin Clark is a World Champion."

This remark refers to Clark winning her maiden championship in the first tournament of her career by helping Team USA win its 36th straight World Cup victory since 2006.

A third fan wrote, "Caitlin Clark first ring."

This reaction relates to the efficiency in the closeout game by Caitlin Clark, who scored 4 out of 5 field goals and 2 out of 2 free throws in 13 minutes of playing time.

Another fan wrote, "Caitlin Clark is a leader. A quiet, unassuming force of nature."

Clark was known as a playmaker in the tournament; her record-breaking debut, where she had 11 assists and zero turnovers against China, can support this.

A fifth fan wrote, "Caitlin Clark saved team USA."

Caitlin Clark’s buzzer-beater shot during the third quarter which helped USA lead with a 73-57 score after a dominant 30-12 third quarter.

Clark's first tournament blended historic playmaking and clutch scoring, giving fans ample reason to praise her bench efforts for aiding Team USA in winning its fifth consecutive World Cup title.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta