China’s results at the 2012 London Olympics women’s basketball competition
(Quarterfinals)
Aug 7: Vs. Australia (1515 Hrs GMT)
(Prelim Round Group A)
July 28: bt Czech Republic 66-57
July 30: bt Croatia 83-58
Aug 1: bt Angola 76-52
Aug 3: lt to Turkey 55-82
Aug 5: lt to USA 66-114
Group Standings
LONDON, United Kingdom (2012 London Olympics): Chinese women showed glorious guts and gumption in matching pace with the might of four-time defending champions USA for the first 10 minutes of their final Group A Prelim Round game in the 2012 London Olympics on Sunday, but that proved insufficient to stop the Americans from notching their 38th successive win in Olympic women’s basketball competition – cutting across six Olympics. China lost 66-114 (Box scores), thus finishing No 3 in Group A.
China now take on 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medalists and the No 2 ranked team in FIBA World Rankings for Women Australia in the quarterfinals scheduled for Tuesday. Click here to see what lies ahead for China in the play-offs
Six USA players scored in the double-digits with Diana Taurasi, looking for her third Olympic gold, being the leading scorer with 22 points.
Nan Chen led China’s scoring with 16 points, but had only 3 collections in rebounds. China were out-rebounded 46-19.
Son Xiaoyun contributed 15 points and Ma Zengyu had 13 points. Miao Lijie had 8 assists.
China, who had never won against the US previously – including the five instances in Olympics women’s basketball competition, seemed determined to make amends to that record when they began the game.
Nan Chen – playing her third Olympics, exuded her experience – Song Xiaoyun, playing her first Olympics exhibited enthusiasm with two crisp long-rangers, scoring 8 points each and youngster Gao Song played well within herself on the paint as China even took a marginal lead towards the end of the first period. Only Angel McCoughtry’s back-to-back fast breaks put USA ahead at the end of that period.
But when the second period opened the USA were a completely different squad, now beginning to look the rampaging marauders they were expected to be.
Two patches of 7-0 runs pushed the USA to the fore before the four-time defending Olympic gold medalists pressed the gas further closing the first half with a 12-2 run. Nine players scored for the US in the period underlining the overall superiority and depth of their roster.
China, who had been outscored 30-8 in the second quarter, were left playing second fiddle thenceforth.
“We knew it would be a tough match and we fought for our honor,” Nan Chen said.
“We got little pressure before the match and performed our best in the first quarter. They strengthened their defense in the second quarter and forced us many turnovers.”
FIBA Asia