China Upsets USA in Women's Basketball
Saturday, 26th April 2008 ~ Maggie ~ Link ~ Comments (0)
Beijing--In the United States first possession of the game Saturday night, Chinese guard Miao Lijie stole the ball from Sylvia Fowles and layed it up for an easy two points. That play set the tone for the game, as the USA committed 18 turnovers on the night and Miao shredded the nets with 26 points. China won the game, 84-81, to take first place in the Good Luck Beijing International Invitational Women's Basketball Tournament.
The U.S. players appeared to be looking beyond Saturday night's game to their return home to start the WNBA preseason next week. But China appeared pumped up to be playing to an enthusiastic crowd in its brand-new arena, and determined to avenge its 25-point rout by the US team two days ago.
The American team came out looking flat and sloppy, making just one out of seven two-point shots in the first 7:40 and committing a flurry of turnovers in the first quarter. China took advantage of their opponents' slow start, claiming a 10-point lead at the end of the first period. Early foul trouble kept Fowles and Lisa Leslie out for much of the first half and made it harder for the physical Americans to play their way back into the game.
The US team came out looking better in the second half. It made a run to pull into the lead late in the third quarter, its first lead since being up 6-4 in the first quarter. But China reclaimed the lead with five minutes to go and never looked back.
China held Leslie, who just two days ago made 26 points against China look like child's play, to a mere 10 points. Veteran guard Katie Smith led the United States with 16 points.
Australia placed third in the tournament, beating Cuba 65-61 on Saturday.
Tags: basketball, good luck beijing, Miao Lijie
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