According to The Associated Press, Allemand surpassed Spain guard Laia Palau’s previous benchmark of 108 career assists in the first half of Belgium’s 80-68 victory over Australia.
Breaking the All-Time Assist Record
Allemand entered the tournament with 87 career assists and quickly climbed the leaderboard during the opening three games, accumulating 24 assists in that span to reach 111 total. According to The Associated Press, the record-breaking helper occurred with 1:58 remaining in the first half when teammate Emma Meesseman drew a foul and converted two free throws. Under FIBA rules, assists are awarded when a shooter is fouled and makes the subsequent free throws, a distinction from WNBA scoring rules.
“I’m just so proud because for Belgium, this is how we play,” Allemand said, according to The Associated Press. “We are so unselfish. I’m just happy to have that one as a special one, especially when you look at the names next to me.”
Passing Legendary Playmakers
According to The Associated Press, Allemand bypassed the assist numbers of WNBA players Dawn Staley and Sue Bird before overtaking Palau’s historic mark.
Belgium coach Mike Thibault praised the milestone during the postgame press conference. “It’s a huge accomplishment over here,” Thibault said, according to The Associated Press. “The leading assist person in World Cup history after today. Some pretty good players on that list too, so I think that’s pretty exciting.”
Securing a Quarterfinal Berth
Australia head coach Sandy Brondello, who also coaches Allemand in the WNBA with the Toronto Tempo, noted that the record reflects the guard’s natural playmaking style. “I think it says a lot about what she does, she’s a pass-first point guard,” Brondello said, according to The Associated Press.
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