CHN/ESP Spain lose out to giant killers China

TOULOUSE (FIBA U17 World Championship for Women) – China proved too strong for Spain, beating them 77-58 in the last game of Group B Preliminary Round action at the Palais des Sports in Toulouse.

Both teams had already qualified for the quarter-finals and this game helped determine the final order in the group.

China finished with a 4-1 mark, good enough for second place behind Belgium, the team that beat them. The loss saw Spain drop to 2-3 and in fourth place behind Australia.

Meng Li helped China take the initiative as they jumped to a 13-2 lead four minutes into the game. Victor Lapena’s girls were running their offense to great effect but could not make their shots.

Elena de Alfredo’s three-pointer beat the first quarter buzzer for a 23-9 score and started a comeback by the Spaniards but China had better finishing.

Yurena Diaz scored five quick points to cut the deficit to 12, 39-27, at the break.

In the third quarter, Spain made a run to get within six, 46-40, but that was the closest they got as China force-fed the ball down low and made good on high-percentage shots.

Wang Guizhi’s team took a 56-44 lead into the final quarter and Spain tired out.

Quotes

Wang Guizhi (China head coach): Spain had a very effective technique and I appreciate them a lot. We learned a lot from them. Our players had a very good attitude. We did a very good job on defense. Our players are very young and want to improve a lot.

Victor Lapena (Spain head coach): Congratulation to China. It was a great game. China knew how to keep the advantage gained at the beginning of the game. We tried to pressure them, but we were never able to dominate China. I want to thank my players, they gave everything. If I had been a player, I wouldn’t have accepted what my players accepted in the physical challenge imposed by China.

FIBA/LOC