Players of China celebrate after winning the semifinal against Australia at Women's Basketball World cup 2022 in Sydney, Australia, Sept. 30, 2022. (Photo by Hu Jingchen/Xinhua)
After reaching its first final in major competitions in 28 years, China will vie for the title with the United States.
SYDNEY, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- History of the 1994 FIBA World Championship for Women was repeated on Friday night as China edged hosts Australia 61-59 to enter the gold medal game.
Wang Siyu, who finished with 14 points, made a pair of free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining to move China two points ahead, while Ezi Magbegor failed to convert a layup at the other end.
Though the team's leading scorer Li Meng was absent due to a fever, center Han Xu registered a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Yang Liwei chipped in 18 points.
According to FIBA stats, Han is the first player to contribute at least 15 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks in a Women's World Cup game in the 21st century.
Han Xu of China gestures during the match. (Photo by Hu Jingchen/Xinhua)
Coming into the game as a substitute, Han grabbed the spotlight on the court, scoring 13 points in the second quarter, as China outscored Australia 23-13 down the stretch to set up a six-point cushion at halftime.
Over 11,000 attendees, a new record for the tournament's crowd number so far, saw a fiercely contested second half, during which Han continued her favorable form in the paint and Wang made two foul shots in clutch time.
A second matchup between China and three-time defending champion the United States during this tournament will be staged on Saturday.
Betnijah Laney (R) of the United States shoots during the semifinal against Canada at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 in Sydney, Australia, Sept. 30, 2022. (Photo by Hu Jingchen/Xinhua)
Earlier on Friday, the United States kicked off its semifinal game with a whopping 15-0 scoring run and secured a 20-point advantage in the first quarter, while Canada conceded 27 points, higher than any of their previous six first quarters in this year's World Cup.
"With that start, we really turned them into what we wanted," said American power forward Alyssa Thomas, who had 10 points. "After that punch, they didn't know what to do with our offense."
Four American players hit the double-digit marks, led by team captain Breanna Stewart with a game-high 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks. The reigning champion combined for 21 assists, more than four times compared with those of its opponents.
No Canadian player scored in double digits, and the U.S. hauled down 53 rebounds. ■
