NBA Takes Notice of Chelsea Gray’s Game-Winning Action in Team USA’s World Cup Win vs Italy
· Yahoo Sports
The US team avoided an embarrassing loss against the Italians at the FIBA World Cup on Sunday. The Italians’ game plan relied on stifling the American offense. However, it was the quality and experience of the individuals on the floor that got the US a narrow 55-52 win. One such player, Chelsea Gray, got a shoutout from none other than the NBA for her efforts on both ends of the hardcourt.
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“Take the charge on defense ➡️ knock down the jumper on offense! Chelsea Gray made clutch plays on both ends of the court down the stretch to help Team USA secure the win in FIBA Women’s World Cup group play 🔥,” read the NBA’s X post.
The post reposted by the NBA shows the final three and a half minutes of the game, which witnessed an intense battle between the two teams. With around 3:10 left on the clock, Italy’s Cecilia Zandalasini drove inside the paint from the left and astoundingly made the tough bucket while surrounded by three US players. One of them was Chelsea Gray, who took the fall afterward. Zandalasini then smiled and pointed towards the referee, apparently asking for a foul, but the call never came. The score stood at 53-50 in favor of the US.
It was now Chelsea Gray’s turn to take the charge. With just 1:10 left on the clock, she dribbled inside the paint, again surrounded by three Italian players, and made the jumper. The score, 55-50 in favor of the US. While Italian guard Matilde Villa scored a fadeaway jump shot after Gray to make the score 55-52, Gray’s last basket made victory certain for Team USA.
The Italians could never really recover from this position, as their offense ground to a complete halt down the stretch, failing to generate a single assist or steal in the final minutes. Chelsea Gray finished the night with four points, all of them coming at crucial stages of the game.
However, there was little to celebrate in the American victory. It was a game marred by unforced errors and a poor shooting display. The offensive output sank to historic depths, finishing as the lowest point total for an American team in over five decades, dating back to 1971.
The US team could only convert 28.6% of their shots from the field, and their output from beyond the arc fared no better, as they converted just one of their 12 shots. This is an alarming trend for a team that boasts three of the top ten three-point shooters in the league.
The US also gave away 14 turnovers that yielded 16 points, something that could have proved costly in the dying moments of the game. The American team also got narrowly out-rebounded, finishing with 42 rebounds on the night as compared to Italy’s 43. This is again a concerning reality, as the USA team is brimming with players highly capable in the paint. Angel Reese, who leads the WNBA in rebounds, averages 12.4 rebounds per game, but could only grab three against Italy.
On the other hand, Zandalasini finished with a game high of 14 points and added seven rebounds. The lone US player to finish in double digits was Jackie Young, with 10 points.
Ultimately, the game was decided by the composure of players like Chelsea Gray, who kept her cool in the dying moments of the game. She made the USA team on the back of a fine season with the Las Vegas Aces. Gray has been instrumental in guiding the Aces to a strong 27–13 record, securing the third seed in the standings.
She is averaging 12.0 points, 6.8 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting a sharp 37.0% from three-point range. Just like in this latest victory over the Italians, Gray has shown time and again with the Aces this season why she is regarded so highly. Against the Portland Fire, Gray poured in a season-high 29 points, dishing out three assists and draining nine out of 13 shots from beyond the arc to seal a thrilling 105–89 victory back in June 2026. Even in her last five WNBA games, Gray has averaged 10.2 points.
Team USA will hope that Chelsea Gray and Co. are in their best form as the tournament progresses and they aim for their fifth straight World Cup title, as the roster is already missing veteran presences like A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum. USA will take on Czechia in their next game and will aim for a better outing than this game against the Italians.
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