The best of the FIBA Women's Basketball WC 2002: Podium deja vu

Game France v USA ; 7 Sheryl Denise SWOOPES (USA)

22/06/2022

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The best of the FIBA Women's Basketball WC 2002: Podium deja vu

SYDNEY (Australia) - Heading ever closer to the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022, we're looking back on past editions of the competition and this time it's a familiar plotline from two decades ago.

Taking place across nine different locations in China, including Zhangjiagang, Changshu, Taicang, Wuzhong, Changzhou, Suzhou, Huaian, Zhenjiang and Nanjing, there were plenty of parallels with what had happened four years earlier in Germany.

Not only because of the multiple venues, but also because it was a cut and paste when it came to those nations standing on the final podium.

The best team: unbeaten masterclass again for USA

- Having won all 9 games in the previous edition in 1998, it was a repeat of that terrific feat in 2002 for the reigning champions as USA completed another perfect campaign and also made it 19 straight wins in the competition.

- No opponent even got to within 20 points of the holders during the first seven games and even in the Semi-Finals, they breezed past Australia 71-56. That set up an absolute classic gold medal game against Russia, which they won 79-74. The campaign was led by MVP Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes who netted more than 17 and 16 points respectively. Meanwhile Shannon Johnson also made the All-Star Five.

Rank	Team	W-L
1.	USA	9-0
2.	Russia	7-2
3.	Australia	7-2
4.	Korea	4-5
5.	Spain	6-3
6.	China	5-4
7.	Brazil	6-3
8.	France	4-5
9.	Cuba	3-5
10.	Argentina	2-6
11.	Lithuania	3-5
12.	Yugoslavia	2-6
13.	Japan	2-3
14.	Chinese Taipei	1-4
15.	Senegal	1-4
16.	Tunisia	0-5

The best performance: Sun-Min Jung - Korea

- There was a stellar display from Korea legend Sun-Min Jung who poured in a massive 42 points in a 76-70 win against Lithuania, also accumulating 6 rebounds and 6 assists for good measure.

- There is also the rather neat 'full circle' of Jung now expecting to hold the coaching reins for Korea at the 2022 edition of the competition, having guided them to Sydney via the Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade.

The best game: USA 79-74 Russia

- Yes, the best was saved until last, with the title game one to remember as USA squeezed out a talented and strong rival Russia, thanks mainly to a superb contribution from Tamika Catchings. She had 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead the way and ensure USA retained theor crown.

- The loss was maybe tough on Russia and especially Ilona Korstin who poured in 27 points in defeat. But a slow start saw them always playing catch up against the champions.

The hidden star: Laia Palau - Spain

- Her first global outing, Palau had a modest time in China, averaging 7 points and 1 assist per game. Absolutely nobody could ever have imagined that it would be two decades later when she hung up her shoes as a Spanish national team legend having broken so many records and having won so many trophies.

Young Guns Go For It: Penny Taylor (Australia), Nan Chen (China)

- This was a huge tournament for the 21-year-old Penny Taylor who showed the world that the Opals new kids on the block went beyond the brilliant Lauren Jackson. While her colleague top scored in the tournament having debuted four years earlier, Taylor came to the party on her competition debut in a big way, scoring 13 points per game.

- Meanwhile another legend, this time for China was taking her first footsteps with the teenage rising star Nan Chen wowing the home crowd with her efforts. She led the hosts with 13.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game and would quickly become a major star in her homeland.