The Americans have clinched their berth in the 2026 FIBA World Cup final with a win over Spain in the semifinals. However, the victory was far from pretty for Team USA, and a viral Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese clip from the game has managed to capture just how difficult the night was for the Americans.
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During a game where the Americans nearly saw their fifth straight gold-medal aspirations come to an end, Clark and Reese were caught sharing an identical reaction from the bench – one that many fans could probably relate to while watching the game unfold.
In an X post shared by Jackson Thompson of Fox News, Reese and Clark can be seen sitting next to each other on the bench when the two appeared frustrated during one of the plays. Reese could be seen shouting from the sideline before turning toward Clark and exchanging a few words with her teammate. As the action shifted back on the court, both players then rose from their seats to follow what was happening, only to be left visibly disappointed by the outcome of the play.
“Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese appeared visibly frustrated by what was going on on the court while they were on the bench,” Thompson wrote in his post.
The moment quickly stood out because it seemed to perfectly reflect the kind of afternoon Team USA was having.
The Americans entered the semifinal as heavy favorites, but Spain refused to let them settle into the game. The two teams were tied 58-58 entering the fourth quarter before Team USA finally found its spark, outscoring Spain 18-8 in the final period to secure a 76-66 victory and punch its ticket to the championship game.
It was far from a dominant performance as Team USA shot 39.7% from the field compared to Spain’s 37.9% and struggled from beyond the arc, making just three of 18 attempts, scoring a subpar 16.7% of their attempted three-pointers. They also committed 15 turnovers, the same number as Spain.
The biggest contributions came from the veterans. Breanna Stewart led Team USA with 16 points and six rebounds, while Kahleah Copper added 13. Jackie Young also finished with 12 points and five rebounds, with six of those points coming in the fourth quarter when the Americans finally pulled away.
The younger players, meanwhile, had a quieter night.
Caitlin Clark played 17 minutes and managed just one point, coming from the free-throw line. She also finished with one assist and one rebound while going 0-for-3 from the field. This is the second outing in this year’s FIBA when Clark has scored only a single point, the first coming when the USA faced Italy in the group stage, when she went 0-for-six from the field. This game, however, Clark went 0-for-3 from beyond the arc, while her only point came from the charity stripe. Angel Reese added five points and three rebounds in 12 minutes, while Paige Bueckers scored six.
Now, Team USA has little time to fix those shortcomings. The Americans will face France in the final, and Les Bleues have been one of the most dominant teams throughout the tournament while sitting atop the FIBA rankings. France has also had a clean 5-0 run so far in their FIBA, defeating China in the quarterfinals, while pushing past the host nation of Germany in the semifinals.
If Team USA plays the same way against France, the final could make those struggles hurt even more. France also has an added incentive, with the matchup offering a chance at revenge after the Americans defeated them in the gold-medal game at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Gabby Williams and Co. are coming for the gold this time, and they seem like a legitimate title threat for Team USA. Janelle Salaun leads the French side in scoring, averaging 16.7 points per game.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s viral bench moment captured the frustration of the semifinal, but Team USA will need a very different reaction in the final.