Latvia's Steinberga signs off by joining legendary duo Hortencia and Semjonova
TENERIFE (FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018) - It has proven to be a bitter-sweet FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 for Latvia's Anete Steinberga.
TENERIFE (FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018) - It has proven to be a bitter-sweet FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 for Latvia's Anete Steinberga.
The center was left crushed by her team failing to win a game during their debut at the event and a quick trip back to Riga is not what the team had hoped for.
However, there was a personal triumph for the 28-year-old in Latvia's last Group Phase game, when she racked up 30 points.
In doing so, the EuroLeague Women standout became the first player since Hortencia Marcari to drop 30 points or more on USA.
It last happened in the competition more than two decades ago, when the Brazilian legend - recently crowned the #FIBAWWC Greatest of All Time in a Fan Vote - did it at the 1994 edition when she scored 32 points.
With 30pts last night, Anete Steinberga joins an elite list of players with 30+ v USA.
— Igor Curkovic (@IgorCurkovic) September 26, 2018
-last happened at #FIBAWWC: 1994, GOAT Hortencia 32, 110-107 W
-last happened in any comp: 2015, Kia Nurse 33, PanAm, 81-73 W
-Hortencia and Uliana Semjonova still the only two do it twice pic.twitter.com/XkLJRfBO76
That was the second time Hortencia had managed it during her illustrious career, while Uliana Semjonova is also no stranger to dropping big scores on the States.
Now Steinberga can reflect on a first-ever FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup that didn't bring the right results, but did elevate her into some rather illustrious company.
Players who have scored 30 or more points against the USA
Keiko Namai 35 for JPN, 1976 Olympics (84-71 W) Uliana Semjonova 32 for CCCP, 1976 Olympics (112-77 W) Park Chan-Sook 30 for Korea, WC 1979 (94-82 W) Chen Yuefang 31 for China, WC 1983 (91-101 L) Uliana Semjonova 31 for CCP, WC 1983 (85-84 W) Hortencia Marcari 38 for Brazil, WC 1983 (78-109 L) Zheng Haixia 32 for China, 1988 Olympics (79-94 L) Hernandez Buides 32 for Cuba, WC 1990 (78-87 L) Hortencia Marcari 32 for Brazil, WC 1994 (110-107 W) Kia Nurse 33 for Canada, PanAm 2015 (81-73 W) [/unordered]FIBA