Mali caused a major upset at the Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin by defeating Spain 82-73. This victory marked only the second win in the tournament’s history for Mali, with their previous win coming in 2010 against Senegal in overtime.
Despite trailing by two points at halftime, Mali outscored Spain 31-19 in the third quarter to take the lead. The turning point came with a 16-4 run by Mali, led by Sika Kone who scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Kone’s two crucial 3-pointers during the game-changing run helped Mali seize control of the match.
In the final quarter, Mali extended their lead by scoring the first five points, including another 3-pointer by Kone. Despite Spain’s efforts, they could not close the gap, with Mali maintaining a comfortable lead throughout.
Djeneba N’Diaye also contributed 19 points for Mali, improving their World Cup record to 2-10. On the other hand, Iyana Martin led Spain with 20 points, but it was not enough to secure the victory.
In another match, Germany dominated Japan with a 74-58 win. Germany’s strong start with a 28-11 first-quarter lead set the tone for the game. Japan, known for their 3-point shooting prowess, struggled to find their rhythm and only managed to convert three out of 27 attempts from behind the arc.
German player Leonie Fiebich highlighted their defensive strategy against Japan’s 3-point shooting, emphasizing the importance of physical play. Frieda Buhner and Nyara Sabally contributed 19 and 18 points, respectively, to secure the victory for Germany.
Hungary also claimed a hard-fought victory against Nigeria, winning 71-67. Dorka Juhasz’s impressive performance with 19 points and 16 rebounds helped Hungary secure their first World Cup win in 28 years. Despite Nigeria’s late surge, Hungary managed to hold on for the win with key free throws from Reka Lelik.
With these results, all four teams in Group A now have a 1-1 record, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the pool play matches.