Spain defeats host Germany again to win bronze at women's FIBA World Cup

BERLIN (AP) — Iyana Martín led Spain to the bronze medal at the women’s FIBA World Cup on Sunday with an 81-58 win over host Germany.

The 20-year-old Martín scored 22 points to give Spain, which didn't qualify for the last World Cup, its third third-place finish in the tournament after 2010 and 2018.

The Spanish players looked sharper and faster throughout, with turnovers again an issue for Germany after the hosts had 25 in their semifinal defeat to France on Saturday. Germany had six in the first quarter alone and finished with 18 against Spain.

Frieda Bühner wiped away tears while the Spanish players hugged and danced in celebration at Berlin Arena.

“We have to take the pain with us to be better as individual players and as a team,” Leonie Fiebich said as she fought tears while talking to reporters and reflecting on the importance of the game.

“It's unique, it happens only once in a career. I'm super thankful that we could be part of it, the team, the staff, the organization, everything all around it. It was one of the coolest experiences ever. I'll be thinking of it for a long time,” Fiebich said

Germany had been looking for its first medal in the tournament on its second appearance as a unified country including its last time as host in 1998. East Germany finished fourth at the 1967 tournament.

It was Spain’s second victory over Germany after defeating the hosts by 30 points in their opening game – Spain's biggest win over a European team and Germany's heaviest defeat in the competition.

Buoyed by enthusiastic home support, Germany recovered from its opening loss with increasingly impressive wins over Japan, Mali, South Korea and European champion Belgium. Germany was the first team in the tournament to keep France below 90 points with an 86-64 defeat in their semifinal.

“The growth has been very, very positive," said Germany coach Olaf Lange, who had hailed German basketball's "best day” after the win over Belgium.

“We’ve made good progress. Now we have to keep working on ourselves and use this as motivation for the future. We have EuroBasket coming up next year – we have to qualify first – and then the 2028 Olympics. We have to keep going. That’s our motto – keep going – and it doesn’t change today,” Lange said.

Spain was dealt a shock defeat by Mali in its second game but beat Japan to top the group, then defeated Australia in the quarterfinals before a battling 76-66 loss to the United States in their semifinal.

After ending the tournament on a high, Spain is looking forward to a promising future after so many young players shone in the team. Martín, who scored 17 against the U.S. and finished with an average of 17.5 points across her five games, is already a team leader despite her young age.

“She’s amazing. She’s a very young player, but she always makes us play like amazing so for us she’s not young, she is like a veteran player,” the 24-year-old Raquel Carrera said of Martín while clutching the bronze medal around her neck.

Awa Fam, who is 20 years old, scored 17 points in Spain’s first win over Germany. She almost had a double-double in the second game with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Alicia Flórez and Elena Buenavida are both 22, and Helena Pueyo (25) is also likely be part of the squad at the next World Cup.

“They are really young players that can do something amazing in the next years,” Carrera said.

The United States won its fifth straight title with a 97-79 win over France in the final.

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Spanish team poses with medals aafter the Women's Basketball World Cup third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Spanish players celebrate after the Women's Basketball World Cup third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Spain's Iyana Martín fouls Germany's Alexis Peterson during the Women's Basketball World Cup the third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Spain's Maite Cazorla reacts during the Women's Basketball World Cup the third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Spain's Maite Cazorla and Iyana Martín hug during the Women's Basketball World Cup the third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Germany's Leonie Fiebich reacts during the Women's Basketball World Cup the third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Spain's Maite Cazorla and Iyana Martín hug during the Women's Basketball World Cup the third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Chicago White Sox faded from the postseason with hardly any offense.

After winning the first two games of their best-of-five AL Division Series against Cleveland, Chicago struck out 21 times and managed just three hits in a 2-0 defeat Saturday night that advanced the Guardians to an AL Championship Series matchup against Tampa Bay.

“We wanted it so bad, it hurts,” Chicago catcher Kyle Teel said, shaking his head.

José Ramírez hit a two-run homer off Sean Burke in the fourth inning, and the White Sox became the fourth team in major league history to lose a Division Series after winning the first two games on the road.

Chicago's 21 strikeouts were the most in a nine-inning postseason game and the most in any regular or postseason game since 1900.

Munetaka Murakami and Andrew Benintendi struck out four times each, and Teel and Chase Meidroth three times apiece.

“My intent was to win this game, win this series and fly to Tampa,” White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami said through interpreter Kenzo Yagi. “It's obviously disappointing. Losing this one, there is a lot to learn from it."

Chicago become the first team to each the playoffs after three straight 100-loss seasons. The White Sox swept Houston in the wild card round for their first postseason series win since their 2005 World Series championship.

Ramírez homered on a a knuckle-curve from Burke that was 0.74 feet above the ground.

“He made the right pitch in the right spot," Teel said. "It was a ball in the dirt and he just hit it out.”

The pitch Ramírez homered on was the the lowest hit for a home run in a postseason game since MLB Statcast started tracking in 2008.

“Obviously, it came down to one pitch and one mistake I made today,” Baker said. “He's a really good player. He's probably going to be in the Hall of Fame some day. But it's frustrating.”

Chicago outscored Cleveland 7-3 in the first two games and out-hit the Guardians 12-7. Over the final three games, Cleveland had a 20-8 advantage in runs and out-hit the White Sox 27-17.

"We’re all bummed and sad, knowing we probably should have got the job done,” Chicago shortstop Colton Montgomery said. “They dug deep and did what they did. That’s a good baseball team and they scrapped it out.”

Chicago batters struck out a Division Series record 75 times and hit .194 with runners in scoring position, going 1 for 18 in the last two games. The White Sox loaded the bases in the sixth inning before Erik Sabrowski relieved Williams and struck out Murakami.

“The last few games, there were some opportunities,” Meidroth said. “It stings because this is a family, a brotherhood we have here. We wanted to win for each other and for our fans. Man, there is no better place to play than Chicago and we wanted to keep going.”

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Chicago White Sox pitcher Sean Burke reacts after a home run by Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez during the fourth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami walks back to the dugout after striking out in the sixth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago White Sox center fielder Brenton Doyle reacts after striking out in the third inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth dives for a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter during the sixth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) and catcher Kyle Teel (8) watch from the dugout during the eighth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)