Australia and China secured the final two quarterfinal berths at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying tournament in Berlin, surviving high-stakes finishes on Wednesday, according to tournament reports from the Associated Press.
The Opals and China advanced after executing clutch plays in the closing moments of their respective matchups. Australia held off a fierce rally from Italy to win 82-80, while China secured a narrow 75-72 victory over Puerto Rico behind a dominant performance from Han Xu, who recorded 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Australia Holds Off Italy’s Comeback Bid
The Opals carried a 69-49 advantage into the final period, but Italy engineered a stunning comeback to level the score at 77-77.
Despite the offensive onslaught, Australia regrouped in the dying moments to edge ahead and seal the 82-80 victory. “We found a way, proud of that,” Australia head coach Sandy Brondello said following the match. “We faced too much adversity, but we’re still here and we’ll try tomorrow.” With the win, Australia advances to face Spain in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Han Xu Leads China Past Puerto Rico in Tight Battle
In the day’s other qualification thriller, China fended off a relentless challenge from Puerto Rico to win 75-72. The contest remained a back-and-forth affair until China executed down the stretch, powered by Han Xu’s 21 points and 11 boards.
Supporting offensive contributions came from Yang Shuyu, who added 15 points, and Zhang Ziyu, who chipped in 13 points for the Chinese squad. China now moves on to a challenging quarterfinal showdown against France on Thursday.
“We’re a young team, but they were No. 2 in the Olympic Games,” Han said regarding the upcoming matchup against the French side. “They are very tough and are winning games by a lot, but we are not afraid. We just play at 100% and hope we can learn a lot from this match.”
Quarterfinal Lineup Set for Thursday
With qualification complete, the tournament bracket shifts directly to the knockout stage. Thursday’s quarterfinal schedule features Australia taking on Spain, while China squares off against France. The remaining quarterfinal pairings pit the United States against Hungary, alongside Germany facing Belgium, as reported by the Associated Press.
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