Germany Women NT · 20 min★★★★★
17 pts3 reb2 ast66.0 TIB EFF
Luisa Geiselsoder finished Germany Women NT's World Cup campaign on a high, posting 17 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in just 20 minutes against Mali Women NT. She shot 7 of 11 from the field, including 2 of 2 at the free-throw line, and did not turn the ball over.
Germany Women NT's 83–58 victory at home sent them out of the tournament on a decisive note. The 25-point margin represented a controlled performance in a matchup where the result was never in doubt. Geiselsoder's efficiency—a 1-for-3 three-point attempt aside—underlined how the hosts managed their minutes in the latter stages of their Group A run.
It was a professional close to what has now concluded for Germany in this competition.
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🏀 Final: Germany Women NT 83–58 Mali Women NT.
Top: Frieda Buhner 21 PTS.
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Sika Koné has been the engine of Mali's run through this tournament, averaging 20 points and 2.5 assists per game with a 72.8 TIB Efficiency rating that stands well clear of the field. Germany's Frieda Buhner, posting 11.5 PPG and 2 APG on a 41 TIB Eff, will have the unenviable task of navigating around Koné's scoring gravity—one of the most prolific performances on either side of the draw.
The gap in those numbers tells the story of two teams at different phases of the World Cup. Mali has built its tournament around Koné's offensive creation and scoring punch. Germany, meanwhile, will need Buhner to anchor their halfcourt spacing and decision-making if they're to keep pace with Koné's output.
Watch how Buhner's passing (2 APG) works against Mali's interior rotations. Even a slight edge in ball movement and shot selection could be the difference in a contest where one player is operating at such a higher efficiency than her opposite.
Tip-off in three hours.
Mali Women NT · 31 min★★★★★
19 pts10 reb0 ast67.0 TIB EFF
Iyana Martin carried Spain's attack in Group A, posting 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists across 24 minutes, but it was not enough to stop Mali's upset. Spain fell 73–82 on the road, a nine-point margin that left little room for the deficit to close in the final stretch.
Martin shot 6 of 14 from the field and made all six of her free throws, though her 2-of-6 three-point line underscored the difficulty Spain faced in finding rhythm. She added 3 steals to her workload, a bright spot on a night when Mali's perimeter defence held firm. Three turnovers and two fouls kept her night from being flawless, but her efficiency rating still stood as the benchmark on a Spain side that could not generate enough scoring depth.
Mali's road victory in World Cup play signals a group that is far from settled.
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Mali Women NT held off Spain Women NT 82–73 in a back-and-forth Group A contest that turned decisively in the third quarter.
The teams traded leads through the opening half — Spain led by as many as 7 late in the second quarter, but Mali answered with an 8–0 run midway through the first to seize early control. At halftime, Mali held a narrow 32–34 deficit. The third quarter proved decisive: Mali outscored Spain 31–19 to build a commanding 16–point lead at 71–55 with 6:42 remaining in the fourth. Spain mounted a late rally in the final quarter but could not close the gap, scoring 20 points to Mali's 19 down the stretch.
Sika Kone anchored Mali's offense with a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds on efficient shooting (7/9 FG, 3/4 from three, 2/2 FT). Djeneba N'Diaye added 19 points on 6/11 shooting with four made threes, while Alima Dembele orchestrated the floor with 11 points and 4 assists. Iyana Martin led Spain with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, but Megan Gustafson's 16 points on 7/15 shooting could not compensate for Mali's third–quarter onslaught.
Mali travel to face Germany Women NT on Monday 7 September in their next Group A outing.
Japan Women NT · 23 min★★★★★
27 pts3 reb1 ast91.5 TIB EFF
🥶 Clutch player: Aminata SANGARE — 10 PTS, 4 REB in the last 5 minutes.
Mali Women NT down 2 with the game on the line; Mali Women NT fell, 97–102.
Japan Women NT · 23 min★★★★★
27 pts3 reb1 ast91.5 TIB EFF
Saki Hayashi scorched Mali from three-point range, draining 9 of 15 attempts to finish with 27 points in 23 minutes as Japan Women NT held off a late push to win 102–97 in Group A play.
Hayashi's efficiency was the difference: she moved the ball once (1 assist) and did not turn it over, creating a clean offensive afternoon where her shooting alone carried the load. The 9-for-15 clip from deep, combined with 9-for-17 overall, left Mali's perimeter defence scrambling for much of the contest. She added two steals, though neither side managed to impose a grinding pace.
Mali made the final minutes uncomfortable — a five-point margin in a World Cup group stage is not a cushion — but Hayashi's early output had built the foundation Japan needed. The home court advantage and her marksmanship proved decisive.
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🏀 Final: Japan Women NT 102–97 Mali Women NT.
Top: Saki HAYASHI 27 PTS.
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