On the morning of July 29, in Group A of the women’s basketball preliminary round at the Olympic Games, Serbia secured a thrilling 58-55 victory over Puerto Rico, getting off to a winning start. The second game will see the Chinese women’s team face Serbia, turning this match into a do-or-die battle.
Group B consists of four teams: China, Spain, Serbia, and Puerto Rico. In an earlier game, the Chinese women’s team lost by a single point to Spain after overtime. Facing Puerto Rico, Serbia maintained dominance throughout the first three quarters, entering the final quarter with a 19-point lead. However, the last quarter saw a dramatic turn of events as Puerto Rico staged a 19-2 run to narrow the gap to just two points. In the dying moments, a Serbian player made one of two free throws, securing a nail-biting victory and a strong start to their campaign.
Serbia’s win puts them temporarily atop the group on points difference, followed by Spain in second place. China and Puerto Rico are ranked third and fourth, respectively, with very small differences in points between all four teams.
In the second round of the preliminary round, the Chinese women’s team will face Serbia, while Spain plays Puerto Rico. Considering Spain’s clear superiority over Puerto Rico, they are likely to secure a victory and move towards a second consecutive win. Therefore, the match between the Chinese women’s team and Serbia becomes even more crucial; a loss would most likely eliminate them from the top two spots in the group, denying them a direct qualification spot.
According to the qualification rules for these Olympic Games, the two best third-placed teams across the three groups can also advance, but they will face the strongest teams in the knockout stage. For the Chinese women’s team, it is essential to aim for a victory against Serbia to secure second place in the group.