Mali caused an upset at the Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin by defeating Spain 82-73, marking only the second victory in the tournament’s history for the African nation, with their previous win coming in 2010 against Senegal in overtime. Despite trailing by two points at halftime, Mali dominated the third quarter, outscoring Spain 31-19 to take the lead. A pivotal 16-4 run during this period saw Sika Kone, who recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds, contribute two crucial 3-pointers. Mali further solidified their lead by scoring the first five points of the fourth quarter, including another 3-pointer by Kone, ultimately securing the win as Spain failed to narrow the gap to less than nine points for the remainder of the game.
Djeneba N’Diaye also impressed for Mali, contributing 19 points, as Mali improved their World Cup record to 2-10. Meanwhile, Iyana Martin led Spain with 20 points in a losing effort. In other matchups, Germany triumphed over Japan with a 74-58 victory. Germany’s strong start, particularly in the first quarter where they outscored Japan 28-11, set the tone for the game. Japan, known for their 3-point shooting prowess, struggled to find their rhythm and only managed three successful shots from behind the arc out of 27 attempts.
Frieda Buhner and Nyara Sabally led Germany with 19 and 18 points, respectively, while Kokoro Tanaka top-scored for Japan with 15 points. All teams in Group A now stand at a 1-1 record. Additionally, Hungary secured their first World Cup win in 28 years by narrowly defeating Nigeria 71-67. Dorka Juhasz’s impressive performance with 19 points and 16 rebounds was crucial for Hungary’s victory. Despite Nigeria closing the gap to two points in the final seconds, Hungary managed to hold on for the win.
Virag Takacs-Kiss also contributed significantly with 17 points for Hungary, while Amy Okonkwo led Nigeria with 17 points. Juhasz, who plays for the Minnesota Lynx, showcased her talent with 13 points and 11 rebounds in the first half. Hungary’s victory marks a significant milestone as they prepare to face Korea in their next pool play match.