Gong Luming: China women’s basketball team played its best game since preparation began

Xinhua News Agency, Berlin, September 7 (Reporter Zhao Jiantong) China’s women’s basketball team defeated Italy 71-51 on September 7 in the final round of the group stage at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. After the game, head coach Gong Luming said this was the team’s best performance since preparations began, and hoped the players would continue improving on this foundation and enter the upcoming knockout stage with greater confidence.

On September 7, China head coach Gong Luming (second from right) during the match. Xinhua News Agency reporter He Canling photo

"In today’s match against Italy, we played our best game since the entire preparation period," Gong Luming said. After the group draw was announced, China had identified Italy as one of its main opponents and conducted extensive targeted training on both offense and defense based on Italy’s characteristics.

China quickly found its rhythm at the start of the game, leading 23-7 after the first quarter and maintaining the advantage until the end. The team shot 51 percent from the field, made 8 of 19 three-point attempts, and held a 37-27 rebounding advantage. Defensively, China limited Italy to 51 points, with Italy making only 2 of 17 three-point attempts.

On September 7, China player Yang Shuyu (second from left) makes a layup during the match. Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Haofu photo

Gong Luming said thorough preparation before the game and the players’ execution of tactical plans were important reasons for the victory. "Italy is a very strong team. They spent a lot of energy playing the United States yesterday, and today they may not have fully shown their level because of fatigue. Our targeted preparation and execution on both offense and defense were relatively good."

China’s performance at this World Cup has shown a gradual upward trend. In the opening game against world No. 1 United States, China lost 61-94, exposing weaknesses in mentality, defensive intensity and inside play. In the second game against the Czech Republic, China tied the score late in regulation and won 74-70 in overtime. Against Italy, China took control from the beginning, responded quickly after Italy narrowed the gap in the third quarter, and eventually secured a 20-point victory.

Across the three games, China experienced three different situations: losing to a strong opponent, winning a comeback in overtime, and leading throughout. Gong Luming said these experiences are highly valuable for a team undergoing a transition between older and younger generations.

On September 4, China lost 61-94 to the United States in the first round of the group stage. The photo shows China player Li Yuan (fourth from right) making a layup during the match. Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Haofu photo

"We hope the team can continue improving during this World Cup, allowing young players to gain more experience and exposure in major competitions," he said. "At the same time, the contributions of the veteran players to the team have also been very significant."

China finished second in Group D with two wins and one loss and advanced to the qualification round for the quarterfinals. According to the format, the group winner advances directly to the quarterfinals, while the second- and third-place teams must compete in a knockout game for a quarterfinal berth. China will face Puerto Rico, which finished third in Group C, on September 9.

Puerto Rico defeated Turkey 75-71 in the final round of the group stage. Speaking about the next opponent, Gong Luming said the match is very important for China.

"Puerto Rico’s victory over Turkey today shows that they are a very strong team with a distinctive American basketball style," he said. "We will attach great importance to this opponent and conduct in-depth study on how to play this game well. We hope the team can further build confidence based on today’s victory and perform well in the next knockout game."