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Gray, Lawson Capture Gold for Team USA at FIBA World Cup
9/4/2026 9:42:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Day 12 – September 13, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Chelsea Gray, Kara Lawson (HC) | No. 1 USA 97 , No. 2 France 79
Chelsea Gray was outstanding in the commanding victory, finishing with 12 points, five assists and four rebounds. Gray was instrumental in leading the United States in a stellar second half en route to the18-point win.
Lawson, serving as head coach for the first time in the FIBA World Cup, pushed the U.S. to its 12th FIBA World Cup gold medal and fifth straight. The United States has now won 36 straight in World Cup action. Jackie Young was named the FIBA World Cup Final Player of the Game.
Postgame Notes
Coat of Many Colors
Prior to starting as an assistant coach with the USA Women ahead of the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup, Kara Lawson was a coach in the USA 3x3 National Team program. As a head coach at the 3x3 senior level, Lawson owns a 2020 Olympic women's gold medal and 2019 Pan American Games men's and women's gold medals. She is the first coach in USA history to own head coaching gold medals at both the 3x3 and 5-on-5 levels. Assistant coaches Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts and Stephanie White became first-time gold medalists in Berlin.
Day 11 – September 12, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Chelsea Gray, Kara Lawson (HC) | No. 1 USA 76, No. 6 Spain 66
Chelsea Gray finished the semifinal victory with five points, two rebounds and two assists. With the win, the United States will play in its fifth consecutive FIBA Women's World Cup gold medal game.
"Just a battle—we knew it would be," Lawson said. "When it was winning time, we were the superior team and we deserve to be moving on. We're excited to be playing in a World Cup final tomorrow. It's pretty awesome."
Next Up:
The USA will play in the finals on Sunday at 2 p.m., against France.
Day 7 – September 10, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Chelsea Gray, Kara Lawson (HC) | No. 1 USA 108, No. 46 Hungary 56
Chelsea Gray had the hot hand early with a pair of trifectas en route to finishing with six points, six assists and four rebounds in just 18 minutes of action. The United States advance to its 11th straight FIBA Women's World Cup semifinals appearance.
"This was one of our most complete performances of the tournament," Lawson said. "Offensively, we as coaches love when they share the ball and they did that at just a high level, 31 assists on 40 made field goals. Really unselfish for our group and another balanced attack."
Next Up:
The USA will play in the semifinals on Saturday at 2 p.m., against Spain.
Miela Sowah | No. 6 Spain 89, 3 Australia 66
Sowah played a tournament-high 14:56, dropping in six points from a pair of field goals and two free throws in a quarterfinal setback to Spain.
Day 6 – September 9, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Miela Sowah | No. 3 Australia 82, No. 14 Italy 80
Sowah played a tournament-high 5:48, going 0-of-2 from the field. Sowah saw minutes in the second and third quarters as Australia held off Italy to advance to the quarterfinals against Spain.
Day 4 – September 7, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Kara Lawson (HC), Chelsea Gray | No. 1 USA 105 vs. No. 17 Czhecia 64
Gray played just 16 minutes as the United States cruised in its final game of Group D play. She posted two points, one assist and one steal to help the U.S. win the group. Lawson extended the win streak to 33 games as the United States advances to play the winner between Hungary and Japan in the quarterfinals Sept. 10 at a time to be determined.
Miela Sowah | No. 5 Belgium 80, No. 3 Australia 68
Sowah saw just 34 seconds of action off the bench in the setback.
Elizabeth Balogun | No. 2 France 111, No. 8 Nigeria 56
Balogun registered 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting, adding two rebounds and an assist in a tough battle against the world's second-ranked team. She started her third game and played 15 minutes.
Day 3 – September 6, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Kara Lawson (HC), Chelsea Gray | No. 1 USA 55, No. 14 Italy 52
Gray finished with four points in a 2-of-5 shooting performance in 18:33 of action. The starting point guard hit the jumper that put USA up five, 5-50. Gray drew a charge on the ensuing possession to help seal the win. Lawson garnered her second World Cup victory as the United States scored six of the game's final eight points for the three-point victory. It was the 32nd consecutive victory for the United States in World Cup action.
Miela Sowah | No. 3 Australia 87, No. 16 Turkiye
Sowah knocked down her lone three-point attempt in 2:34 as the Opals grabbed their first win of the World Cup.
Day 2 – September 5, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Elizabeth Balogun | No. 19 Hungary 71, No. 8 Nigeria 67
Balogun started the game and played 27 minutes. She scored 13 points on 5-12 shooting, while burying a pair of threes. She also added four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Day 1 – September 4, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Miela Sowah | No. 3 Australia 70, No. 13 Puerto Rico 54
Miela Sowah made her World Cup debut for Australia, playing 42 seconds and going 0-of-1 in the 16-point victory for the Opals.
Chelsea Gray, Kara Lawson | No. 1 USA 94, No. 4 China 61
Lawson captured her first FIBA World Cup victory as a head coach as the United States rode a 49-29 halftime lead to a 33-point win. Ranked fourth in the FIBA World Rankings, China is arguably the toughest group game for the United States.
Gray earned the start and provided the dime for the game's opening basket. She played 15 minutes, finishing with five points, two assists and a steal.
Elizabeth Balogun | No. 15 Korea 99, No. 8 Nigeria 81
Balogun started the game and played 19 minutes. She finished with three points, two rebounds and one assist. Nigeria is back in action Sept. 5 at 8 a.m. (ET), versus Hungary.
Chelsea Gray, Kara Lawson (HC) | No. 1 USA 97 , No. 2 France 79
Chelsea Gray was outstanding in the commanding victory, finishing with 12 points, five assists and four rebounds. Gray was instrumental in leading the United States in a stellar second half en route to the18-point win.
Lawson, serving as head coach for the first time in the FIBA World Cup, pushed the U.S. to its 12th FIBA World Cup gold medal and fifth straight. The United States has now won 36 straight in World Cup action. Jackie Young was named the FIBA World Cup Final Player of the Game.
Postgame Notes
Coat of Many Colors
Prior to starting as an assistant coach with the USA Women ahead of the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup, Kara Lawson was a coach in the USA 3x3 National Team program. As a head coach at the 3x3 senior level, Lawson owns a 2020 Olympic women's gold medal and 2019 Pan American Games men's and women's gold medals. She is the first coach in USA history to own head coaching gold medals at both the 3x3 and 5-on-5 levels. Assistant coaches Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts and Stephanie White became first-time gold medalists in Berlin.
Day 11 – September 12, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Chelsea Gray, Kara Lawson (HC) | No. 1 USA 76, No. 6 Spain 66
Chelsea Gray finished the semifinal victory with five points, two rebounds and two assists. With the win, the United States will play in its fifth consecutive FIBA Women's World Cup gold medal game.
"Just a battle—we knew it would be," Lawson said. "When it was winning time, we were the superior team and we deserve to be moving on. We're excited to be playing in a World Cup final tomorrow. It's pretty awesome."
Next Up:
The USA will play in the finals on Sunday at 2 p.m., against France.
Day 7 – September 10, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Chelsea Gray, Kara Lawson (HC) | No. 1 USA 108, No. 46 Hungary 56
Chelsea Gray had the hot hand early with a pair of trifectas en route to finishing with six points, six assists and four rebounds in just 18 minutes of action. The United States advance to its 11th straight FIBA Women's World Cup semifinals appearance.
"This was one of our most complete performances of the tournament," Lawson said. "Offensively, we as coaches love when they share the ball and they did that at just a high level, 31 assists on 40 made field goals. Really unselfish for our group and another balanced attack."
Next Up:
The USA will play in the semifinals on Saturday at 2 p.m., against Spain.
Miela Sowah | No. 6 Spain 89, 3 Australia 66
Sowah played a tournament-high 14:56, dropping in six points from a pair of field goals and two free throws in a quarterfinal setback to Spain.
Day 6 – September 9, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Miela Sowah | No. 3 Australia 82, No. 14 Italy 80
Sowah played a tournament-high 5:48, going 0-of-2 from the field. Sowah saw minutes in the second and third quarters as Australia held off Italy to advance to the quarterfinals against Spain.
Day 4 – September 7, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Kara Lawson (HC), Chelsea Gray | No. 1 USA 105 vs. No. 17 Czhecia 64
Gray played just 16 minutes as the United States cruised in its final game of Group D play. She posted two points, one assist and one steal to help the U.S. win the group. Lawson extended the win streak to 33 games as the United States advances to play the winner between Hungary and Japan in the quarterfinals Sept. 10 at a time to be determined.
Miela Sowah | No. 5 Belgium 80, No. 3 Australia 68
Sowah saw just 34 seconds of action off the bench in the setback.
Elizabeth Balogun | No. 2 France 111, No. 8 Nigeria 56
Balogun registered 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting, adding two rebounds and an assist in a tough battle against the world's second-ranked team. She started her third game and played 15 minutes.
Day 3 – September 6, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Kara Lawson (HC), Chelsea Gray | No. 1 USA 55, No. 14 Italy 52
Gray finished with four points in a 2-of-5 shooting performance in 18:33 of action. The starting point guard hit the jumper that put USA up five, 5-50. Gray drew a charge on the ensuing possession to help seal the win. Lawson garnered her second World Cup victory as the United States scored six of the game's final eight points for the three-point victory. It was the 32nd consecutive victory for the United States in World Cup action.
Miela Sowah | No. 3 Australia 87, No. 16 Turkiye
Sowah knocked down her lone three-point attempt in 2:34 as the Opals grabbed their first win of the World Cup.
Day 2 – September 5, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Elizabeth Balogun | No. 19 Hungary 71, No. 8 Nigeria 67
Balogun started the game and played 27 minutes. She scored 13 points on 5-12 shooting, while burying a pair of threes. She also added four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Day 1 – September 4, 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Miela Sowah | No. 3 Australia 70, No. 13 Puerto Rico 54
Miela Sowah made her World Cup debut for Australia, playing 42 seconds and going 0-of-1 in the 16-point victory for the Opals.
Chelsea Gray, Kara Lawson | No. 1 USA 94, No. 4 China 61
Lawson captured her first FIBA World Cup victory as a head coach as the United States rode a 49-29 halftime lead to a 33-point win. Ranked fourth in the FIBA World Rankings, China is arguably the toughest group game for the United States.
Gray earned the start and provided the dime for the game's opening basket. She played 15 minutes, finishing with five points, two assists and a steal.
Elizabeth Balogun | No. 15 Korea 99, No. 8 Nigeria 81
Balogun started the game and played 19 minutes. She finished with three points, two rebounds and one assist. Nigeria is back in action Sept. 5 at 8 a.m. (ET), versus Hungary.
Friday, September 18
Tuesday, March 31
Tuesday, March 31
Tuesday, March 31
