China Secures Fourth Consecutive World Cup Quarter-Final Berth with Win Over Puerto Rico
Han Xu stars with a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double as China edges Puerto Rico 75-72 in Berlin.
Quick Look
China secured a fourth consecutive Fiba Women's World Cup quarter-final berth with a 75-72 victory over Puerto Rico in Berlin, led by Han Xu's dominant 21-point, 11-rebound double-double.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
China defeated Puerto Rico 75-72 in Berlin to advance to the Fiba Women's World Cup quarter-finals.
China’s 75-72 victory over Puerto Rico in Berlin on Wednesday secured a fourth consecutive Fiba Women’s World Cup quarter-final berth, sparking a wave of relief on domestic social media alongside growing fan anxiety over squad depth and fatigue ahead of a daunting clash against France.
WNBA star Han Xu produced a dominant 21-point, 11-rebound double-double – her third in a row – to lead China through the qualifying play-in.
Yang Shuyu scored 15 points, while 2.21-metre (7-foot-3) centre Zhang Ziyu added 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
With the game tied at 66-66, Han sank a go-ahead three-pointer with 2:56 remaining. A minute later, Luo Xinyu hit another shot from deep to extend China’s lead to six points.
Puerto Rico’s Arella Guirantes cut the deficit to 72-70 with 25 seconds left, but Yang sealed the victory by making two free throws eight seconds later.
Trinity San Antonio led Puerto Rico with 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Imani Stafford-McGee added 16 points as Puerto Rico’s tournament ended one round earlier than in 2022.
Open Questions
- How will China perform against France in the quarter-final clash?
