www.thestar.com - RSS Results of type article
· collected 2026-09-07 · by Doug Feinberg The Associated Press
Italy's women's basketball team made its first appearance in the FIBA World Cup since 1994 and came close to upsetting the US, but fell 55-52 on Sunday. The score was the lowest points scored by the US in a World Cup win since 1967. Italy point guard Mariella Santucci attributed their loss to the US being "the better team" that made "better plays at the end". The game was intense, with Italy leading 50-48 in the fourth quarter and a crowd of over 9,000 fans cheering them on.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A fire alarm went off at 2am in the hotel where many teams were staying for the Women's Basketball World Cup, forcing an evacuation before players could return to their rooms about an hour later.
The alarm was caused by someone pushing a button in the elevator, and no actual fire was present. Australia coach Sandy Brondello noted that it was "a what-if situation" but also a chance for teams to prepare for unexpected events.
Meanwhile, in a separate game at the World Cup, Team USA faced a tough challenge from Italy, ultimately winning 55-52 after trailing by two points with just over three minutes remaining.
The win marked the 32nd consecutive World Cup victory for the US team, dating back to a loss to Russia in 2006. However, this game was one of the closest in recent history, with Italy coming within single digits of the Americans' total.
In the same game, Italy's Cecilia Zandalasini had a chance to tie the score but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, and later expressed contrition for her behavior towards the referees after the game.
The US team struggled with poor shooting, making only 29% of their field goals overall and just 1-12 from beyond the arc, but managed to pull out the win thanks to timely baskets and a key defensive play by Chelsea Gray.
Written for “US Women's Basketball at World Cup” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 6649 · logged 2026-09-07
BERLIN (AP) — Italy came close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets in women’s FIBA World Cup history.
asserted
Italy → come → history
The Italians, making their first appearance in the tournament since 1994, gave the U.S. all it could handle before falling 55-52 on Sunday.
uncertain
it → make → Sunday
It was the fewest points the Americans had scored in a World Cup win since they beat Australia 42-38 in 1967.
asserted
they → score → 1967
Italy (1-1) almost handed the Americans their first loss in the tournament since 2006 and first preliminary round defeat since 1983.
asserted
Italy → hand → 1983
Instead they came up just a few plays short.
asserted
they → come → ?
“I feel a little bitter of course but they were the better team and they made better plays at the end so they deserve to win,” Italy point guard Mariella Santucci said.
asserted
Santucci → feel → end
“I feel like the way we play we learn so much about ourselves that we can compete against everybody.
asserted
we → feel → everybody
To play like that with the USA is special, but it makes us think that we are a special team and we can do something special.”
asserted
we → play → something
Italy led 50-48 in the fourth quarter and the crowd of 9,232 that was made up of predominantly fans of the European nation was whipped into a frenzy.
asserted
that → lead → frenzy
Then the U.S. went on a 7-0 run to take a 55-50 advantage.
asserted
U.S. → go → advantage
The Italians got within three and star forward Cecilia Zandalasini had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, but her 3-pointer was off.
asserted
pointer → get → buzzer
She apologized after the game for being emotional toward an official for not calling a foul on the final possession.
asserted
She → apologize → possession
“I would like to apologize for how I reacted in the end,” Zandalasini said.
asserted
Zandalasini → like → end
“It was a lot of emotions today, but I should have kept them inside of me a little better.”
asserted
I → keep → me
The Italians don’t have much time to analyze what went wrong in the final few minutes against the U.S. with a key game against China on Monday.
asserted
what → have → Monday
“We have another very important game tomorrow.
asserted
We → have → game
So now we’ve shown what we’re capable of
asserted
we → show → what
,” Zandalasini said.
asserted
Zandalasini → say → ?
“But we want to keep going and not just stop here and just lose our head on this game.
asserted
we → want → game
It’s still a very, very long tournament.”
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Zandalasini scored 14 points to lead Italy, which was one of the rare teams to actually have a .500 or better record against the U.S., going 1-1 before Sunday.
asserted
which → score → Sunday
“I think we showed that tonight we deserved a spot in this tournament on this big stage,” Zandalasini said.
asserted
Zandalasini → think → stage
“I’m so proud of my team.
asserted
I → ’m → team
and I think, we have a great coach that believes in us and we really play our hearts out.”
asserted
we → think → hearts
