Puerto Rico exited the women’s World Cup in Berlin on Wednesday, September 9, after a 72-75 defeat against China at the Berlin Arena, according to EFE reports. New York Liberty center Xu Han scored 14 points in the final quarter to break a tight game open for the Asian side, finishing with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and a 21 valuation.
How Xu Han Secured China’s Fourth Quarter Victory
The match remained deadlocked until the opening minutes of the final period, according to EFE coverage. Xu Han caught fire to establish a 59-64 lead for China. Puerto Rico fought back to tie the game at 66-66, but Han and Xinyu Luo combined to push the score to 66-72. Imane McGee Stafford and Arella Guirantes pulled the Puerto Rican squad within striking distance at 70-72. Without timeouts remaining, coach Jerry Batista’s team was forced to send China to the free-throw line, where Shuyu Yang locked down the 72-75 final score.
Trinity San Antonio Leads Puerto Rico Effort
Despite the loss, guard Trinity San Antonio delivered a standout performance for Puerto Rico, earning 24 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals, and a 35 valuation, according to EFE. The Basket Landes player set the early tone by scoring nine consecutive points to push Las Guerreras to a 12-13 start. China responded with the insertion of Ziyu Zhang, the tallest player in the tournament, helping the Asian squad capture a 21-24 lead after the first quarter. Puerto Rico battled through the middle frames, with Jacqueline Benítez and McGee Stafford hitting key perimeter shots to keep the score tight at 40-41 heading into halftime.
Match Statistics and Lineups
The quarter-by-quarter breakdown showed Puerto Rico matching China’s output early before falling short in the closing minutes:
- Puerto Rico (72): San Antonio (24), Guirantes (14), McGee Stafford (16), Benitez (6), González (4), Solis (2), Rosado (2), Roma (2), Pagan (2), Jones (0), De León (0), Meléndez (0).
- China (75): Han (21), Yang (15), Ziyu Zhang (13), Luo (10), Wang (7), Mingling Chen (4), Manman Zhang (3), Jia (2), Li (0), Tang (0), Yujie Chen (0), Sun (0).
- Venue: Berlin Arena, before an attendance of 3,511 spectators.
- Referees: Wojciech Liska, Carlos Peralta, and James Griguol.
The narrow defeat concludes Puerto Rico’s run in the Berlin tournament following a fierce battle that remained in the balance until the final seconds.
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