By CIAR\u00c1N FAHEY<\/p>\n
BERLIN (AP) \u2014 France star Gabby Williams again did all she could only to be thwarted once more by the United States in the final of the women\u2019s FIBA World Cup.<\/p>\n
The Americans won Sunday\u2019s showdown between the teams 97-79<\/a>, dealing Williams and France another painful loss after the women\u2019s basketball final at the 2024 Olympics.<\/p>\n The U.S. won that gold medal game in Paris<\/a> by a point, 67-66, after Williams\u2019 last-second shot was just inside the 3-point line rather than outside to tie the game.<\/p>\n No last-second score could have salvaged anything for France on Sunday as the Americans recovered from a two-point halftime deficit with a dominant third-quarter performance \u2013 outscoring their opponents 30-12 \u2013 to effectively decide the result well ahead of time.<\/p>\n \u201cI just told my teammates not to put their heads down tonight,\u201d said Williams, who as captain was the first French player to go and congratulate the winners. \u201cWe have a lot to be proud of, but I think we\u2019re gonna remember how this feels.\u201d<\/p>\n Leading by example <\/p>\n Williams had done her best, but she couldn\u2019t do it alone for France.<\/p>\n The former UConn standout scored 20 points, made three rebounds, seven assists, and three steals in Sunday\u2019s final, capping an outstanding tournament in which she had scored an average 18.7 points across her six games.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course we\u2019re disappointed right now, but I think we\u2019re showing little by little, France is a basketball country,\u201d she said. \u201cThat was my goal, when I joined this team \u2026 to change the culture. Obviously we have higher expectations, but we\u2019ll get there.\u201d<\/p>\n Dominique Malonga led France against the U.S. with 21 points and six rebounds. Marine Johann\u00e8s netted one 3-pointer from five attempts and finished with five points.<\/p>\n Ultimately none of them could stop Breanna Stewart (22 points), Jackie Young (18), Kahleah Copper (15) or Chelsea Gray and Caitlin Clark (both 12).<\/p>\n \u201cThis was an easy group to lead,\u201d Williams said of her teammates. \u201cIt was obviously intimidating being given this role, given this pressure, but I think just with this group it was very easy. I just wanted to pour into them as much as I can and make them feel as confident, because I really do still believe in every single person on our roster. I just want them to believe in themselves.\u201d <\/p>\n France coach Jean-Aim\u00e9 Toupane concluded the post-game press conference by speaking of his admiration for the captain.<\/p>\n \u201cShe demonstrated that she had the capacity, she led this team. I\u2019m proud of her,\u201d Toupane said. \u201cThe whole team followed her, and she showed us the way. Now we need to come back stronger as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n Promising start<\/p>\n France started promisingly against the U.S. and began the second quarter with eight unanswered points. The U.S. called a timeout. Williams then scored a 3-pointer to put France 14 points clear and wheeled away with her right arm up in celebration.<\/p>\n Angel Reese looked concerned. She didn\u2019t need to. Clark ended the half with a triple to leave the U.S. trailing by just two points and the four-time defending champions kept going from there.<\/p>\n Williams had been playing it cool before the game, insisting she had \u201cno preference\u201d which country France faced in the final after she\u2019d led her team in the semifinal win over host Germany<\/a>. The U.S. still had to play Spain<\/a> that night at Berlin Arena.<\/p>\n If Williams felt she had unfinished business with the U.S., she refused to acknowledge it.<\/p>\n No French player wanted to give the Americans any more motivation than they already had before the final, and Williams has made a point of not making her true feelings known.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not going to show weaknesses on the court, we\u2019re not going to show doubts. If we did, our opponents would eat us alive,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n