Caitlin Clark made a rousing debut for the USA senior team on Wednesday at the FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament. The Indiana Fever point guard came off the bench to drop 17 points and 12 assists. Clark and Co. dominated their opening match, comfortably beating Senegal 110-46.
As players from both countries lined up for the traditional handshake, the FIBA analyst calling the game remarked:
“We look at the assists there, Team USA has 30. And like I mentioned, 12 of those came from Caitlin Clark. They usually call Chelsea Gray ‘The Point Gawd,’ and they call Caitlin Clark just a shooter. They switched roles today.”
Team USA coach Kara Lawson started with a veteran backcourt of Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, called “The Point Gawd” by many. The two guided the Americans to a 13-1 lead before Lawson used a hockey-style substitution to bring in a new five. Gray had three points, one steal, one rebound and one turnover before Caitlin Clark took over.
With Clark running the show, the Americans’ dominance became even more pronounced. She had five points and three assists to push her team’s lead to 28-11 at the end of the first quarter.
Kara Lawson recognized Clark’s impact, saying it was the Fever point guard’s playmaking that “got us going. Lawson continued that Clark, Kelsey Plum, Rhyne Howard, Kiki Iriafen and Monique Billings gave the team a big lift.
Clark’s 12 assists were twice as many as what Senegal tallied as a team, underlining her playmaking impact. Chelsea Gray played only 11 minutes but contributed three points, two assists, two rebounds and one steal. Team USA will need both in its quest to win the tournament.
Team USA coach Kara Lawson praised Caitlin Clark’s playmaking and scoring
Kara Lawson heaped praise on her players after Team USA dominated Senegal. After the game, Lawson responded when asked to comment on Clark’s play:
“She’s not just a dynamic scorer. She’s one of the most dynamic playmakers in the world. She balanced playmaking and scoring really well tonight. She looked comfortable out there. I was proud of how she played in her debut.”
Clark’s last competitive game was in July. A groin injury and then a bone bruise eventually forced the Indiana Fever to shut her down in September.
The two-time WNBA All-Star did not miss a beat in her return to competition. She seems ready to help Team USA continue its dominance in the tournament.
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