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Team USA escaped by the skin of their teeth against Italy, but the Americans’ 55-52 win has given way to lengthy debates about seemingly inconsistent officiating. Now, following the game, one clip has placed Caitlin Clark at the center of the debate.
A clip from the game posted to X by @BrickCenter_ shows Clark attempting to drive to the basket while being contested from the front. As Clark attempted to put the shot up, she was seemingly blocked by Italian center Olbis Andre, but as she went down, no whistle was called.
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The moment divided basketball fans, but the game itself was not much kinder to Clark. She played 18 minutes off the bench but logged just one point, failing to make a single field goal for the first time in her career, including her time in college and the WNBA. She also added four rebounds and an assist while committing two turnovers.
Team USA struggled particularly due to Italy’s 2-3 zone, which completely zapped them of any offensive flow. The Americans shot just 29% from the field for the night and made just one of their 12 three-point attempts. On top of that, they also logged just 11 assists on 14 turnovers, turning what was expected to be a routine win into a narrow three-point escape.
Caitlin Clark’s performances matter, and you’ll want to stay tuned as she navigates international competition. Subscribe for more interesting stories.
However, Clark’s foul controversy wasn’t the only officiating debate that took place during the game. During Italy’s final possession, Cecilia Zandalasini had the chance to tie the game with a three-pointer, but after her miss, she was visibly upset with the refs, claiming she had been poked in the eye. Though the reaction online was split, Zandalasini later apologized for her actions.
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The 55-52 win marked the lowest scoring total that Team USA has ever put up during the FIBA World Cup since 1971, when the team scored only 51 points against the French team. But Clark’s scoring slump became the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/fiba-official-draws-scrutiny-over-033317291.html
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Publish date : 2026-09-07 03:33:00
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