U.S. reaches final behind Taurasi’s 26

As it has done for most of the tournament, the United States used a big third quarter keyed by Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart to pull away from an opponent.

This time, it was Belgium, whose one-point halftime deficit turned into 16 by the end of the third period. Taurasi, who hit five three-pointers, finished with 26 points to help the U.S. win 93-77 on Saturday in the semifinals of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup at San Cristobal de la Laguna, Spain.

Stewart added 20 points and Brittney Griner had 16 for the Americans, who will go for a third straight gold medal at the worlds — something the country has never done.

The U.S. has won 21 consecutive World Cup games and will play Australia, a 72-66 winner over Spain, for the title Sunday.

Motor sports: Valtteri Bottas beat Formula One leader Lewis Hamilton in the race for the pole position for the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi, setting a strategy conundrum for their Mercedes team.

Bottas was 0.145 seconds ahead of Hamilton and 0.56 seconds ahead of third-place Sebastian Vettel, who is second in the standings, 40 points off Hamilton. Mercedes must decide if it’s willing to sacrifice Bottas’ hopes of a first win this season to boost Hamilton’s shot at the championship.

 Chase Briscoe won the first NASCAR race on the new “roval” at Charlotte Motor Speedway, grabbing his first career Xfinity Series victory on the hybrid track of speedway and road course.

NFL: The Detroit Lions elevated defensive end Eric Lee from the practice squad to the active roster and waived offensive lineman Andrew Donnal. Lee started five games for the New England Patriots last season . ... The Green Bay Packers moved rookie cornerback Tony Brown to the active roster from the practice squad after placing defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson (ankle surgery) on injured reserve.

Legal matters: An arrest has been made in the shooting death of LSU basketball player Wayde Sims. Baton Rouge, La., police said Dyteon Simpson, 20, has been charged with seconddegree murder and is at East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.

Sims, 20, was shot early Friday during a street fight caught on video near the Southern University campus.

Javier Soriano / AFP / Getty Images U.S. guard Diana Taurasi shoots over Belgium’s Kyara Linskens during Saturday’s World Cup semifinal.