China Women’s Basketball Team Dominates Italy to Finish Second in Group and Advance

Beijing, Sept. 8 (China Youth Daily app, China Youth Daily and China Youth Network reporter Yang Shen) — In the early hours of Sept. 8, the China women’s basketball team defeated Italy 71-51 in their final World Cup group-stage match, securing second place in the group with a 2-1 record and advancing smoothly.

China held a dominant advantage throughout the game. Italy never took the lead and trailed by as many as 25 points. China not only limited its own turnovers to 13, but also took advantage of its strength inside, scoring 34 points in the paint.

Han Xu remained the unquestioned core of the team. She once again produced a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 8 of 11 from the field and making both of her three-point attempts. Another standout player was Yang Shuyu, who continued her form from the previous game against the Czech Republic, scoring 15 points with 5 rebounds and 4 assists. It is also worth mentioning that Wang Siyu, who has been troubled by injuries, also had a solid performance, recording 5 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, showing how she is using her experience to help the team.

After the game, China women’s basketball head coach Gong Luming fully praised the team’s performance. “Today was our best game in the group stage. Our young players gained experience through major tournaments, and the veteran players also contributed to the team. They all performed very well.” Gong also said Italy had an uncharacteristic performance in the game. “They are a very strong team. They may have been fatigued after playing the United States yesterday, so they were unable to perform at their normal level today.”

After defeating Italy, China will face Puerto Rico, the third-place team from Group C, in the 12-to-8 knockout round.

“Puerto Rico’s victory over Turkey shows that they are a very strong team. We will study how to play this game well. This match is very important for us. Based on today’s victory, we hope the team can continue to build confidence and perform well in the upcoming games,” Gong Luming said.