Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-11 · by Doug Feinberg The Associated Press
The US women's basketball team has reached the semifinals of the FIBA World Cup, where they will face Spain, after dominating Hungary 108-56 in the quarterfinals. The Americans also set a new record with 31 assists in the knockout round and had five players score in double figures. This is nothing new for the US team, which has won 34 straight games overall and four consecutive World Cup titles. Germany and France are newcomers to the semifinals, with Germany reaching this stage as hosts for the sixth time in a row.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The US women's basketball team defeated Hungary 108-56 in the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup on Thursday in Berlin. The US dominated from the start, leading 36-12 after the first quarter and 59-30 at halftime. Napheesa Collier scored 19 points, while Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese showed their chemistry on the court with several key plays. The US has now won 34 consecutive games in the tournament, dating back to a loss to Russia in 2006, and will play the winner of the Spain-Australia game on Saturday in the medal round. This was the second-biggest margin of victory in the quarterfinals in World Cup history, and the US also set a record for most points scored in the quarterfinals with 108. The team's balanced offense, with five players scoring in double figures, was key to their success.
Written for “FIBA Women's World Cup Semifinals” on 2026-09-12,
grounded in this article and the 1 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 8015 · logged 2026-09-11
BERLIN (AP) — The U.S. put forth a dominant performance to reach the semifinals of the women’s FIBA World Cup again.
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U.S. → put → Cup
Spain awaits the Americans there.
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Spain → await → Americans
Host Germany and France will play in the other medal-round game Saturday.
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Germany → play → game
The Americans routed Hungary 108-56, which was the second-biggest margin of victory in the quarterfinals in World Cup history.
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which → rout → history
The U.S. also had 31 assists, which was the most in the knockout round as well.
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which → have → round
“We talked about just getting better with each game, and I think we did that today, especially with how we shared (the basketball),” Rhyne Howard said.
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Howard → talk → basketball
“I think if we continue to play like that and continue to keep everybody on the same page, continue to move the ball, it’s going to be really hard to stop us.”
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it → think → us
The Americans had a balanced offense with five players scoring in double figures.
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players → have → figures
“Everybody’s just all dialed in offensively and defensively,” Angel Reese said.
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Reese → dial → ?
“We talked about our keys, what it’s going to take to win gold, and I think tonight we did everything that coach asked us to do.”
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coach → talk → us
Getting to the semifinals is nothing new for the U.S., which has won 34 straight games overall and the last four World Cup titles.
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which → get → games
The host nation shocked Belgium, which went undefeated in group play.
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which → shock → play
It’s the sixth consecutive World Cup that the host nation has reached the semifinals.
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nation → ’ → semifinals
During that stretch only the Czech Republic in 2010 made the championship game as the host.
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Republic → make → host
France continued its dominant play in the tournament so far, running past China.
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France → continue → China
The French squad, which lost to the U.S. in the 2024 Paris Olympics by one point, has been incredible on both ends of the court in its four games.
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which → lose → games
Making the semifinals for the first time meant a lot to French players, but they do have loftier goals in mind.
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they → make → mind
“It means a lot.
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It → mean → lot
I mean, we want to be one of the greatest teams ever to put on the French jersey,” French captain Gabby Williams said.
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Williams → mean → jersey
‘Obviously, like we have a big goal for this tournament, but it’s great to check this off the list.”
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it → have → list
German coach Olaf Lange was thrilled to lead his home country to new heights.
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Lange → thrill → heights
He wanted to take the night to savor the historic win before focusing on the tall task ahead with France.
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He → want → France
Spain topped Australia in the final game Thursday to reach the semifinals for the first time since it hosted the event in 2018.
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it → top → 2018
The Spaniards are led by Iyana Martin, Megan DiLeo and World Cup veteran Alba Torrens.
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Spaniards → lead → Martin
The 37-year-old is playing in her fourth World Cup and has helped Spain win medals in the previous three.
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Spain → play → three
“For us it means a lot because we missed the Worlds in 2022 and now it’s been eight years,” Torrens said.
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Torrens → mean → 2022
“We know how difficult it is so for today it’s a big day for us.
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it → know → us
We are very happy because so many people worked hard for this victory.”
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people → work → victory
