Caitlin Clark’s Team USA senior team debut on Wednesday at the FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament was a resounding success. After dealing with muscle injuries last year, the superstar point guard showed that she’s back to her old self. Clark came off the bench to deliver 17 points and 12 assists to lead the Americans to a 110-46 win over Senegal.
After the game, Team USA coach Kara Lawson responded when asked about Clark’s performance:
“I thought Caitlin’s playmaking ability really got us going. We go into a nice rhythm in that second quarter and scored a lot of points. “
Caitlin Clark entered the game with 5:27 left in the first quarter. She quickly dished out three assists before hitting a 3-pointer to push the Americans’ lead to 26-7. Clark finished the period with two more points from free-throw attempts.
The Indiana Fever point guard again came off the bench in the second quarter. She contributed three points and four assists to help the Americans continue their dominance. Team USA entered the halftime break with a 59-19 advantage.
According to Kara Lawson, Caitlin Clark, Rhyne Howard, Kelsey Plum, Kiki Iriafen and Monique Billings gave the team a spark. The Americans outscored Senegal by 35 points during their combined time on the court.
During Team USA’s media availability on Tuesday, Clark told reporters that she was ready to be “tossed into the fire.” She not only came out fine, but thrived in her role as both scorer and playmaker.
Fans React to Kara Lawson Heaping Praise on Caitlin Clark
News of Caitlin Clark’s superb performance against Senegal quickly went viral, prompting fans to react to Kara Lawson’s praise of her superstar point guard.
One fan wrote:
“Sounds like PG1 to me.”
Another fan added:
“And so…next game we’ll put her as starter.”
One more fan continued:
“Pace and easy buckets.”
Another fan commented:
“I’m glad she admits it.”
One fan tweeted:
“I love listening to this. Give credit where credit is due.”
Lawson opened the game with Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper, the team’s veteran Olympic gold medal winners. The coach said that her starting lineup and rotation would change as the tournament progresses. Lawson added that she continues to look for the chemistry in her different combinations.
Whether as a starter or as part of the bench mob, Caitlin Clark looks ready to dominate.
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