With the exception of Phoenix Mercury’s Kahleah Copper, all of the USA team will head back for the WNBA postseason playoffs after proceedings conclude in Berlin, resuming their rivalries Stateside.
With little time to work together in tandem after the WNBA was interrupted, four straight victories into the semi-finals suggest they have found an answer right on cue.
“Oh my goodness, it’s been a long time,” Reese replied when asked about how things have changed in two weeks.
“All we have is each other. We’re continuing to build chemistry in the locker room, on and off the court. Our team is really fun. We have the veterans, and we also have the ‘young and turnt’ crew too, and so when we’re winning, it makes it feel really good.”
The USA’s four victories have spanned from the narrow to the record-breaking and emphatic, but what has characterised the side has been the blend and balance, rather than standout individual brilliance.
“You play against these people for so long, but it’s different when you’re playing together,” Napheesa Collier admitted. “We’re just learning where people like to be, how they like the ball.
“That chemistry has built a lot; each practice we try to take advantage of it, and it’s been pretty better each game, communicating as much as we can.
“The newcomers bring a spark, for sure. Just the energy that they play with, especially on the defensive end. They are super active, with blocks, deflections, seals, things like that.
“But they come in just with their voices too. They have a lot of outspoken personalities. It brings a lot to the team, so it’s great to have them.”