Just finished watching the exhibition game between Spain and the USA. The final score was 88-98, a tough 10-point loss. The game, played in Málaga, had an incredible atmosphere. It truly lived up to the hype of a clash between the world’s number one and two teams, and despite being a friendly, it was intensely competitive!
We kept it close in the first half, but Team USA’s guard, Jalen Brunson, was simply unstoppable. He went 9-for-9 from the field, couldn’t miss, and had 16 points by halftime, finishing with 21. He was just too accurate! We really struggled to contain him. Team USA’s overall shooting percentage was astounding at 66.7%, and their three-point percentage was 55.6%. They were absolutely on fire.
Game Recap
Despite the loss, I think we played well and showed the resilience of a reigning champion. We even managed to take the lead at one point in the third quarter, and the entire crowd went wild! Unfortunately, we couldn’t hold on in the fourth and Team USA pulled away with a decisive run. I believe the main reasons for the loss were their individual talent and shooting accuracy. Our teamwork and defense were decent, but we lacked in the finer details. Santi Aldama’s performance was a bright spot, leading the team with 14 points, while Willy Hernangómez was also solid, contributing 13 points.
Player Stats
Here’s a quick look at the stats for some key players:
| Player | Team | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
|---|
| Jalen Brunson | USA | 21 | 4 | 5 |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | USA | 14 | 5 | 1 |
| Santi Aldama | Spain | 14 | 7 | 1 |
| Willy Hernangómez | Spain | 13 | 5 | 0 |
This game exposed some issues but also highlighted the potential of our younger players. I was naively hoping for a win, but putting up this kind of fight against such a strong USA team is still a positive takeaway. After all, there’s still time to make adjustments before the World Cup starts. What does everyone think, how far can “La Familia” go in this Copa del Rey World Cup? Is there still hope for the semifinals? Let’s talk about it in the discussion forum!
