BERLIN (AP) — Italy gave the United States a huge scare at the Women’s Basketball World Cup on Sunday, while China needed overtime to edge the Czech Republic 74-70 in another thriller.
The U.S. survived its toughest test at the tournament in two decades with a 55-52 win over Italy, with Jackie Young scoring 10 points.
It stretched the Americans’ winning run to 32 games going back to a loss to Russia in the 2006 semifinals.
Italy trailed by 15 points
early in the second quarter, but fought back through Olbis Andre and Cecilia Zandalasini as they cut the gap to six points before the break.
Andre’s block on Caitlin Clarke before halftime brought a roar from the fans who increasingly got behind Italy, and Andre gave the Italians a three-point lead in the third quarter.
The U.S. trailed 50-48 with 4:29 left before going on a 7-0 run. Italy (1-1) had one last chance to tie it, but Zandalasini’s 3-pointer was off at the buzzer.
China needed overtime to beat the Czech Republic.
Han Xu scored 22 points and drew China level at 53-53 in the final quarter after her team had trailed for most of the game.
Eliška Joklová put the Czechs 64-59 up with 27 seconds left only for Luo Xinyu to respond with a 3-pointer and Yang Shuyu to level at 64-64 with 3 seconds to go – after Joklová missed two free throws. There was still time for Joklová to miss another chance to clinch the win.
Yang also completed the scoring in overtime for China, which failed to get the most from 7-foot-3 Zhang Ziyu. The 19-year-old sensation could only score three points in her second game after 13 on her World Cup debut against the United States on Friday.
“She has very great talent and we need to fix how we play together," Yang said of the teenager's performance. "Today everybody could see that we did not play so well with her, and we have to fix it.”
China (1-1) next faces Italy on Monday in a game that will decide second place in Group D. The Czech Republic (0-2) faces elimination after two losses before its final group game against the U.S. team.
Emma Meesseman completed the scoring as European champion Belgium booked its place in the final phase with a comfortable 76-64 win over Puerto Rico, its second victory in Group C.
Imani McGee-Stafford finished with 25 points for Puerto Rico, which lost against Belgium for the third time at a World Cup.
Maxuella Lisowa Mbaka was top scorer for the Belgians with 16 points, followed by Julie Vanloo with 15. Meesseman finished with 6.
Both teams face a quick turnaround with little rest as they play the first games Monday at 11:30 a.m. local time.
“Hopefully no fire alarms,” said Belgium coach Mike Thibault, referring to an unwelcome disturbance that forced an evacuation of the teams' hotel in the middle of the night before. “I don’t like the schedule. Nobody does. But that’s the way it is.”
Belgium faces Australia (2-0) in a showdown to decide which team progresses directly to the quarterfinals as group winner, and Puerto Rico (0-2) will be playing for survival against Turkey (0-2).
“Nothing we can do about it,” Lisowa Mbaka said of the schedule. “I’m not going to worry about something I can’t control. I don’t think that’s the way you should think about the game or life in general.”
Ezi Magbegor scored 21 points as Australia reached the final phase with a physical 87-71 win over Turkey earlier Sunday.
Turkey, led by Sevgi Uzun with 24 points, was down 8-0 at the start but fought back after a timeout to lead 15-14. That was brief, however, as the Opals rallied to end the first quarter 21-15 up and did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the game.
The Australian team features seven World Cup debutants. Team captain Sami Whitcomb of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury had to withdraw before the tournament with a lingering knee injury.
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