FIBA basketball U18: Uganda withdraws from competition as China secures bronze

Wang Jiaxin (R) of China vies with Sone Himeka of Japan during the women’s Pool C match between Japan and China at the FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary on Aug. 28, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

DEBRECEN, Hungary | Xinhua | China’s U18 women’s 3×3 basketball team achieved a historic milestone by winning the bronze medal at the 2024 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup here on Friday.

The Chinese squad of Chen Yanping, Li Yuxian, Liu Xiaohan and Wang Jiaxin defeated Germany 21-17 in the bronze medal match, marking China’s best performance in the tournament since their debut in 2011.

The U18 World Cup’s group stage followed a round-robin format, with each team facing off against the other four teams in their group, and the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals.

China, placed in Group C, secured convincing victories against Kyrgyzstan and India before losing to Japan in a decisive match for the group’s top spot. Uganda, originally in Group C, withdrew from the competition.

Entering the knockout stage as the second seed from Group C, China pulled off an impressive 20-16 victory over Group A’s top-seeded Ukraine, thanks to their outstanding offense.

In the semifinals, China faced the United States and fell short with a 21-8 loss. After a two-hour break, the Chinese team came back strong with Wang hitting five shots behind the arc to lead China to a 21-17 win over Germany in the bronze medal match, setting a new benchmark for the team in the tournament.

The United States dominated the tournament, winning both the men’s and women’s championships. Japan’s women’s team claimed the silver medal, while in the men’s competition, Spain and France took home the silver and bronze medals, respectively. ■

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