China secured a 64-64 regulation tie followed by an overtime victory against the Czech Republic at the Basketball World Cup, maximizing its advancement prospects after a prior opening loss to the United States, according to tournament reporting. WNBA player Xu Han led all scorers with 22 points and 14 rebounds, while guard Shuyu Yang forced the extra period with a shot at the fourth-quarter buzzer.
China Outlasts Czech Republic in Overtime Thriller
Following a heavy opening defeat against the United States, China rebounded by defeating the Czech Republic in an extra session. Guard Shuyu Yang, who finished with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting, tied the game at 64-64 with a basket at the final regulation siren, according to match statistics. China then opened the five-minute overtime period with a 9-3 run to seal the outcome.
Xu Han, a 2.05-meter center who plays in the WNBA for the New York Liberty alongside German internationals Leonie Fiebich and Satou Sabally, recorded a double-double with 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting and 14 boards. For the Czech side, Minnesota Lynx guard Eliska Joklova led the scoring effort with 18 points. With the loss, the Czech Republic faces a difficult path forward in the group stage following earlier defeats to Italy and now China, with a final preliminary match scheduled against the United States. China moves on to face Italy in a match that will likely determine second place in the group standings.
Belgian Victory Sets Up Clash for Group Leadership Against Australia
In the day’s other action, European champions Belgium earned a comfortable win over Puerto Rico in Berlin, maintaining an undefeated record in group play. Coached by Mike Thibault, the Belgian squad controlled the tempo throughout the contest after breaking away in the second quarter with a 9-0 run that established a double-digit lead.
While star player Emma Meesseman had a quiet outing with six points on 2-of-9 shooting, Maxuella Lisowa Mbaka stepped up as Belgium’s top scorer with 16 points. Puerto Rico’s Imani McGee-Stafford led all scorers in the match with 25 points, though her performance proved insufficient to overcome the Belgian defense. Following this second victory, Belgium advances to play Australia to decide the group winner and secure a direct ticket to the quarterfinals. Puerto Rico will simultaneously face Turkey in a bid to reach the intermediate round.
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