China's campaign in the Women's Basketball World Cup concluded on Thursday after a 90:61 defeat to France in Berlin.
At the start of the match, China demonstrated a competitive level of play and even briefly took the lead late in the first period, with Han Xu and Yang Shuaiyu providing most of the team's offense. However, France managed to respond, taking a 25:20 lead after the first half, and then completely took control of the game in the second period.
The French team ran an 11-point run, which allowed them to establish their first double-digit advantage, and they constantly punished China for turnovers and second-chance opportunities. As a result, China scored only 11 points in the second quarter, and France went into halftime with a 48:31 lead.
After the break, China tried to find a comeback, but it failed to seriously threaten the French advantage. Han played the entire game, scoring 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds on 8 of 13 attempts, while Yang recorded 19 points and five assists. Zhang Ziyu added seven points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes of playing time, but collectively China struggled with ball security and preventing opponent attacks under the basket.
France secured 18 offensive rebounds, while China committed 18 turnovers, contributing to a huge imbalance in shooting volume: France made 79 field goals compared to 50 by China. Furthermore, France inflicted significant damage on China from long range, making 13 three-pointers, setting a quarter-final record for the Women's World Cup. This was the fourth consecutive game where the French women scored at least 12 shots from beyond the arc.
Marine Joanes and Janelle Salon led the French team, each scoring 15 points; Joanes also provided seven assists. Gabby Williams contributed with 14 points and seven rebounds, and Leila Lacan scored 12 points, indicating a distribution of offensive load across the entire French team. France maintained control throughout the second half, advancing to the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in tournament playoffs. The French team's next opponent will be Germany on Saturday.