“It’s important to win,” says Bridges as Italy’s momentum wanes
Bridges emphasized the team win.
The United States defeated Italy 100-63 on Friday (Feb. 5) at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, in the quarterfinals of the Basketball World Cup 2023. 텍사스홀덤 With the win, the Americans advanced to the quarterfinals.
The USA is the undisputed favorite. They defeated New Zealand, Greece, and Jordan in the first round of qualifying. The smallest margin of victory in those three games was 27 points. In their first game of the second round, they beat Montenegro for their fourth straight win. It was a dominant performance.
They then extended their winning streak to four games by beating Montenegro in the second round of qualifying. However, they were stunned by Jonas Valensnas’ Lithuania. It was a shocking defeat. They made it to the quarterfinals, but their momentum was gone. That’s why the early game against Italy was so important.
The Americans came out fired up and took the lead in the first quarter. Early on, they didn’t have the advantage in the main battle. But in the middle of the quarter, when the bench came in, the US took over. They only gave up six points in the final five minutes of the quarter. In contrast, the U.S. scored 14 points, ending the first quarter with a 24-14 lead. Once they got into a groove, the US continued to push, and the second quarter saw even scoring from their players. At the end of the second quarter, the score was 46-24.
Despite the gap, the USA didn’t let up. In the third quarter, Mychal Bridges scored inside and out. Tyreese Hallitterton added to the mix. The US scored 37 points in the third quarter alone. They held on to win the rest of the way.
One of the biggest contributors to the victory was Bridges, who was dominant on offense. In 18 minutes, she finished with 24 points, seven rebounds, 72% (8-of-11) shooting from the field, three steals, and one blocked shot.
When asked about her quarterfinal performance, Bridges, who led her team to the quarterfinals, said, “I was just being aggressive. Everyone on our team is capable. We’re just playing with faith in our teammates and not in each other’s abilities. Everyone is ready. It’s just a matter of who gets the opportunity and capitalizes on it.”
“It’s not about how many points you score. It’s important that we won. That’s what makes me happy. I will continue to play well and help the team win,” he said of his team’s victory.
Meanwhile, the United States has secured a spot in the quarterfinals and will face one of the favorites, Germany. Can the US defeat the Germans and retain their top spot in the world? It will be interesting to see if they can win the title and erase the memory of the last basketball World Cup.