Puerto Rico seeks upset against China

Puerto Rico’s women’s basketball team is one victory away from matching its achievement at the 2022 World Cup, when it reached the world’s top eight. To do so, Jerry Batista’s team must overcome China, one of the tournament’s strongest interior teams.

China is led by New York Liberty center Han Xu and the 2.23-meter Ziyu Zhang. The team has lost only to the United States, 94-61. Puerto Rico’s main answer inside will be Imane McGee Stafford of Las Monarcas de Juana Díaz, the tournament’s leading rebounder with an average of 13 per game.

McGee Stafford also ranks fourth among the tournament’s top scorers, averaging 17.3 points per game. She is tied with Han Xu and Spain’s Iyana Martín. China needed overtime to beat the Czech Republic, 94-90, and then defeated Italy 71-51 to secure second place in Group B.

Puerto Rico has one win, a 75-71 result against Turkey, and finished third in Group C. It lost to Australia 70-54 and Belgium 76-64, but showed promise against two strong opponents. Despite China’s height advantage, Puerto Rico previously limited Belgium’s powerful inside game and held star Emma Meesseman to six points and five rebounds.

A win on Thursday at 5:45 p.m. Central European Time would send Puerto Rico into the quarterfinals against France, the winner of Group B, while also matching the team’s Sydney 2022 achievement.