09/10/26 09:15:00
Printable Page
09/10 09:14 CDT France beats China 90-61 to join US in women's FIBA World Cup
semifinals
France beats China 90-61 to join US in women's FIBA World Cup semifinals
By CIARAN FAHEY
AP Sports Writer
BERLIN (AP) --- Marine Johanns and Janelle Salan led France to the semifinals
of the women's FIBA World Cup for the first time after beating China 90-61 on
Thursday, joining the United States among the final four.
Both Johanns and Salan scored 15 points while Gabby Williams contributed 14
as the Olympic finalists put themselves in contention for a first World Cup
medal since the inaugural tournament in 1953, when France finished third in the
final round.
France awaits the Germany-Belgium winner later Thursday, while Spain faces
Australia in the last quarterfinal for a semifinal showdown with the U.S. on
Saturday.
The four-time defending champion Americans routed Hungary 108-56 in the first
quarterfinal earlier Thursday with Napheesa Collier scoring 19 points to
stretch their winning run in the tournament to 34 games since a semifinal loss
to Russia in the 2006 semifinals.
The French defense limited the impact of China's 7-foot-3 Zhang Ziyu, who had
the attention of two French players any time she received the ball. The
19-year-old sensation was held scoreless over her 7 minutes, 18 seconds of play
in the first half, though she contributed in defense with three blocks before
halftime.
There was nothing Zhang could do to stop Johanns score successive 3-pointers
in the third quarter, when she also got on the scoreboard. Zhang finished the
game with seven points.
__
See AP's full WNBA coverage here
|
