September 09, 2024

Paris 2024: Serbia reaches quarterfinals after drubbing China in women's basketball

Paris 2024: Serbia reaches quarterfinals after drubbing China in women
Serbia turned it up in the second half on its way to its quarterfinal-clinching win. | Photo (c) FIBA

Serbia kicked into higher gear in the second half and smothered China, 81-59, to enter the quarterfinals in their Olympic Games Paris 2024 women’s basketball play on Wednesday, July 31.

The Serbians seized control after the break, outgunning China, 37-20, in the ensuing periods to share the top spot in Group A with Spain with their identical 2-0 slates.

The World No. 10 squad's victory enabled its co-leader to also advance to the Last Eight.

[RELATED STORY: Laura Gil sinks game-winning free throws as Spain averts disaster, outlasts Puerto Rico in Paris 2024]

China, meanwhile, dropped its second straight game.

With its superb defense and crisp ball movement, Serbia pounced on the helpless China.

[ALSO READ: Carlo Paalam pummels Irish foe to win via unanimous decision, advances to the quarterfinals in Paris 2024]

At the 7:52 mark of the fourth period, Serbia already established an 18-point buffer, 68-50, on Masa Jankovic’s easy deuce.

China trimmed the gap at 59-72 on Sijing Huang’s hail mary of a three-pointer with almost five minutes to go.

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But Serbia did not allow any momentum to swing to China's favor as the World No. 10 stuck to its methodical play and responded with seven straight points capped by Masa Jankovic’s basket with 3:01 left for a commanding 79-59 advantage.

It was all Serbia from there.

[ALSO READ: Novak Djokovic downs Dominik Koepfer, advances to Paris 2024 quarterfinals]

Yvonne Anderson led all Serbian scorers with 15 points on top of six assists, five rebounds and two steals.

Jankovic fired 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Tina Krajisnik chipped in 12 and 11.

[ALSO READ: Hergie Bacyadan laments lack of experience in defeat against ‘idol’ Li Quan, mulls giving Olympics another shot]

Meanwhile, Siyu Wang paced China with 11 points, five rebounds, five assists and a block.

Xu Han also put in 11 markers she spiked with seven boards, while Meng Li scored 10.

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