The Chinese women's basketball team narrowly defeated Puerto Rico 75:72 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Women's Basketball World Cup

China News Service, Berlin, September 10. In the 2026 FIBA ​​Women's Basketball World Cup quarter-finals play-offs held on the 9th local time, the Chinese team narrowly defeated Puerto Rico 75:72 and advanced to the quarter-finals.

According to the competition format, the top teams in the four groups, the United States, France, Belgium and Spain, directly enter the quarter-finals, while the second and third-placed teams in each group participate in the quarter-finals play-offs.

In the previous group matches, the Chinese women's basketball team advanced to the quarter-finals play-offs with two wins and one loss, ranking second in Group D. Puerto Rico lost to Australia and Belgium in the first two games of the group stage, but reversed and defeated Turkey in the crucial third game, ranking third in Group C.

In recent years, the Chinese women's basketball team and the Puerto Rican women's basketball team have played against each other many times in international competitions. The Chinese team has a clear advantage in overall strength.

In the first quarter of the game, the Chinese women's basketball team felt hot from the outside and took the lead at 24:21. In the second quarter, the Puerto Rico team clung to the score, seized the opportunity of the Chinese team's mistakes, and once took the lead. At the critical moment, Chinese player Wang Siyu succeeded in a layup. At the end of the half, the Chinese team led 41:40.

Changing sides and fighting again, the two teams fell into a tug-of-war in the third quarter, and the Puerto Rico team overtook the Chinese team 53:52. In the final quarter, the Chinese team did not give its opponents another chance, and finally won 75:72, advancing to the quarterfinals and becoming the only Asian team among the quarterfinals.

Four Chinese women's basketball players scored in double figures in this campaign. Han Xu contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds and was awarded the best player of the game. Yang Shuyu scored 15 points and 3 rebounds.

Gong Luming, the head coach of the Chinese Women's Basketball Team, said that the Chinese Women's Basketball Team has made full preparations for this game. The players can persevere to the end and never give up, enjoy the game in the fierce confrontation and accumulate experience in the competition. Facing the strong French team, I hope the team can give full play to its own advantages, combine the inside and outside, work hard to train and improve itself.

On the 10th local time, the Chinese women's basketball team will face the Paris Olympic runner-up France in the quarter-finals. (over)