Olympic Women’s Basketball Report: Han Xu + Li Yueru + Chinese Women’s Basketball Team Loses to Serbia, Suffers Second Consecutive Defeat

On July 31st, in the second round of the Paris Olympic women’s basketball group stage, the Chinese women’s basketball team, coming off a loss in their first game, faced the Serbian women’s basketball team.

In this match, the Chinese women’s basketball team made changes to their starting lineup, with Zhang Ru entering the starting five. In the opening quarter, the Chinese team started with poor shooting accuracy, hitting only one of their first six shots. Wang Siyu was in good form, and after she scored three consecutive baskets, the Chinese team led 9-6. However, the opponent quickly responded with a three-pointer, and after Yang Liwei allowed a 2+1 play for the opponent, Serbia took a 12-9 lead. After Jorgovic scored in the paint, China called a timeout trailing 11-16. Han Xu then displayed strong offensive play, tying the score at 17-19 with a three-pointer. However, Serbia went on a scoring spree, and by the end of the first quarter, the Chinese team trailed 17-23.

In the second quarter, the Chinese women’s basketball team started with effective defense. After Wang Siyu drew a foul and made both free throws, they narrowed the gap to 25-27. Huang Sijing then assisted Li Yueru for a basket, and the Chinese team tied the score at 27-27, prompting the opponent to call a timeout. Li Yueru made one of two free throws, giving China a 28-27 lead. Nogic then hit a three-pointer, and the score was tied again at 30-30. The teams traded leads, with the game remaining tightly contested. Serbia ended the half with back-to-back three-pointers, extending their lead, and at halftime, the Chinese team trailed 39-45.

In the third quarter, the Chinese team got off to a bad start. Serbia extended their lead to 53-42, prompting another timeout from China. The opponent hit another three-pointer to lead 56-44. The Chinese team struggled with low offensive efficiency, while Serbia played steadily. In the final moments, Wu Tingtong scored a buzzer-beating layup, bringing the Chinese team’s third-quarter total to 11 points. At the end of three quarters, they trailed 50-62.

In the fourth quarter, the opponent continued to score, and the Chinese team fell behind 50-68. It took over two minutes for Li Meng to score with a three-pointer, making it 53-70. The opponent continued to extend their lead, forcing another timeout for the Chinese team, who had used their last one. Li Meng hit another three-pointer, narrowing the gap to 56-70, but Serbia continued to hit three-pointers, leaving no doubt about the outcome of the game.

Ultimately, the Chinese women’s basketball team lost 59-81 to the Serbian team, suffering their second consecutive defeat in the group stage.

Player Statistics

Chinese Women’s Basketball Team: Han Xu 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist; Wang Siyu 11 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists; Li Meng 10 points, 2 rebounds; Li Yueru 8 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; Huang Sijing 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal; Yang Liwei 5 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists; Wu Tingtong 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist; Zhang Ru 4 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal; Li Yuan 1 assist;

Serbian Women’s Basketball Team: Anderson 15 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals; Jankovic 13 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; Krajisnik 12 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals; Nogic 11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals; Lazic 8 points, 2 assists; Jorgovic 8 points, 3 rebounds; Smiljevic 5 points, 2 assists; Stankovic 4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists; Cardo 3 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists; Katanic 2 points, 1 rebound; Jovanovic 1 rebound;

Starting Lineups

Serbia: Cardo, Anderson, Nogic, Jankovic, Krajisnik Chinese Women’s Basketball Team: Li Yuan, Yang Liwei, Li Meng, Zhang Ru, Li Yueru