Chinese Women’s Basketball vs Puerto Rico Preview: China Can’t Afford to Lose, Anticipating Li Meng’s State of Warmth and Leading a Big Victory

On the afternoon of August 3rd, the decisive game of the Olympic women’s basketball group stage is set to be played, where China’s women’s basketball team will face off against Puerto Rico in a do-or-die match. To date, five teams have secured their advancement to the next round, these being the United States, France, Germany, Serbia, and Spain. Therefore, China’s women’s basketball team must defeat Puerto Rico in their final match, and ideally with a substantial margin, to ensure they secure one of the best two third-place positions in their group for entry into the elimination rounds.

China’s women’s basketball team ranks second globally, but after the world champions two years ago experienced a significant decline in performance, their current form is questionable. The Chinese team struggled to win any of their first two matches at this Olympics. In their opening game against Spain, China displayed an impressive start, only to lose due to a rash of fouls. This match, however, offered hope as they were expected to regain their composure and defeat Serbia to take control of their qualification chances. Unfortunately, their second match saw them completely lose their way. After two games, China lost by scores of 90-89 and 81-59.

Let’s look at the first game. Despite being underdogs, China’s performance was commendable, especially Li Yueru’s performance, which gave China hope. They lost by a single point, which was quite disappointing, with Li Yueru scoring an impressive 31 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Although Li Meng had yet to return to her peak form, she still contributed steadily, along with Sun Mengran, Han Xu, and other players, giving China a chance to win the game. However, the match ended with a loss due to a foul by Yang Liewei. The issues that China’s women’s basketball team faced included errors, poor control over fouls, and a lack of stamina during critical moments. Moreover, the coach’s last-minute play strategy became controversial, essentially highlighting the team’s failure to manage details effectively.

Originally assuming that they could learn from their first game’s lessons, China’s women’s basketball team was expected to adjust better in their subsequent games. Against Serbia, who were slightly weaker, China’s women held their own in the first half but lost their way in the second half, suffering a crushing defeat by 22 points. The tactical arrangements in this match were highly debated, as China’s decision to neglect their strong inside presence in favor of an excessive reliance on three-point shooting did not yield favorable results. Even Han Xu, who usually doesn’t attempt many three-point shots, had five attempts in this game, reflecting China’s precarious situation. Furthermore, Li Yueru, who performed well in the first game, had only three attempts in this match, indicating the team’s misjudgment. It is essential to mention that the team’s core, Li Meng, was in a less than ideal state, and when Li Meng loses her threat, China’s overall strength significantly diminishes. In this game, China’s shooting percentage was very low, with Li Yueru scoring 8 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, while Wang Siyu and Han Xu each contributed 11 points. With a 22-point loss, China’s qualification prospects are now in jeopardy.

Puerto Rico’s women’s basketball team also failed to win either of their first two matches. They are the weakest team in this group, ranking 11th globally. Despite losing, Puerto Rico’s net loss in both games was only 4 points, which is an advantage compared to China’s women’s basketball team. Though not a strong opponent, Puerto Rico posed significant threats to Serbia and Spain, with scores of 55-58 and 62-63, respectively.

In their first encounter against Serbia, Puerto Rico did not hold back from the outset, trailing by 17 points at halftime. However, Puerto Rico did not give up, ending the fourth quarter with a remarkable 19-3 run, keeping the suspense alive until the end. Puerto Rico’s team effort was evident, with 11 players contributing to the score, and San Antonio leading the team with 11 points and 4 rebounds.

In their second game against Spain, Puerto Rico nearly completed a comeback. They replicated the previous game’s strategy, consistently performing beyond expectations in the second half, which is their trump card. China’s women’s basketball team must be cautious in dealing with this tactic. Conversely, Puerto Rico’s offensive efforts were hindered in this game, with their shooting percentage at 35.3% and three-point shooting rate at 23.1%. Noteworthy is that Puerto Rico managed to tie the score with 19-5 in the third quarter, before ultimately losing by 1 point without entering overtime. In this match, Grantes scored 15 points, and Hollingshead contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds. These two players are the core of Puerto Rico, and their performance will significantly impact the team’s results.

China’s women’s basketball team has historically had the upper hand in their encounters with Puerto Rico. At the Tokyo Olympics, China won by a large margin of 97-55. In February, the two teams also met in the Olympic qualifying tournament, with China securing a victory of 105-69. This opponent is one that China’s women’s basketball team must overcome. If China can maintain their past performance against Puerto Rico, they are likely to achieve the status of the best two third-placed teams in their group. However, it should be noted that China’s current form is not at its best, and Puerto Rico’s ability to perform strongly in the second half, such as 19-3 and 19-5 runs, poses a challenge for China’s women’s basketball team, especially considering their potential fatigue during the latter part of the game. Nevertheless, given the disparity in strength between the two teams, China’s women’s basketball team needs to continue their winning streak to avoid leaving any regrets.

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