China’s results at the 2012 London Olympics women’s basketball competition

(Quarterfinals)

Aug 7: lt to Australia 60-75

(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): China’s women certainly gave a very good account of their abilities and temperament before bowing out 60-75 (Box scores)  to three-time consecutive silver medalists Australia in the quarterfinals of the 2012 London Olympics women’s basketball competition on Tuesday.

China’s hopes of a first medal in the women’s competition since the silver won in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, thus fell apart once again, but unlike their male counterparts who finished with their worst rankings, the Chinese women can go out with their heads held high having kept a much more fancied opposition on its toes for three quarters of the game.

There indeed was nothing to choose between China and Australia for the first three quarters where neither sought any quarter nor gave any.

It was only in the fourth quarter that Australia were able to gain any kind of superiority. And the team from Down Under showed that ample measure outscoring the Asian team 20-8 in the final 10 minutes to book their fourth successive Finals in Olympic women’s basketball competition.

China who trailed by merely three points (52-55) at the end of the third quarter maintained the fight when Ma Zengyu sank a three-pointer and Gao Song drove in the lane early on to keep the scores tight.

But for there was nothing more than a Ma Zengyu free-throw conversion and a Nan Chen rebound put-back for the remainder of the game from the Chinese side as Australia went about their business.

Ma Zengyu was China’s leading scorer with 15 points, but had only four of them in final 10 minutes.

Miao Lijie, playing her last Olympic game, had 13 points but none in the fourth quarter.

And Nan Chen, who had led the Chinese averages before the game, had a forgettable day in field shooting with a meager 3/11.

Liz Cambage was Australia’s leading scorer with 17 points and Lauren Jackson added a dozen en route surpassing Brazilian Janeth Arcain as the all-time Olympic women’s scoring leader with 536 career points.

Australia’s win has left them with a semifinal clash against four-time defending Olympic gold medalists USA – in a rematch of the past three gold medal games in the Olympic women’s basketball competition, including that of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which the US had won 92-65.

The other semifinal will feature bronze medalists of the last two Oympics Russia taking on France. Both semifinals are scheduled for Thursday.

FIBA Asia