VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — Laura Gil sank two free throws with 1.9 seconds left as Spain edged Puerto Rico 63-62 on Wednesday and then joined Serbia as the first teams to reach the Olympic women’s basketball quarterfinals at the Paris Games once the Serbians routed China a couple hours later.
Their group has been the most competitive yet with the first games decided by a combined four points. Spain and Serbia needed each other to win to clinch a spot at Bercy Arena back in Paris before these teams wrap up pool play against each other Saturday.
The Spaniards built a 39-25 halftime lead as they to bounce back from a sixth-place finish three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics after taking the silver in 2016 at the Rio de Janeiro Games.
But Mya Hollingshed’s turnaround, fadeaway jumper gave Puerto Rico (0-2) a 62-61 lead with 9.9 seconds left. After Gill’s free throws, Arella Guirantes’ heave from well beyond the 3-point line came up short at the buzzer.
The disappointed Puerto Ricans looked around, hoping for a foul call. Spain (2-0), meanwhile, celebrated and danced heading off the court after surviving.
Advancing took the sting out of blowing a 15-point lead for Spain.
“I’m so happy to make it to the next round,” guard Leonor Rodriguez said. “Now I hope we secure a good spot, but at least we are making it to Paris. The first goal is achieved.”
Those free throws were Gil’s only points of the game. Megan Gustafson, the 2019 AP Player of the Year at Iowa, led Spain with 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Rodriguez added 17 points.
Guirantes led Puerto Rico with 15 points. Pamela Rosado added 11 and Hollingshed had 10.
Puerto Rico set up an exciting fourth quarter after outscoring Spain 19-5 in the third, tying the game at 44. The Puerto Ricans never led by more than four, the last at 59-55 with 3:34 left after a bucket by India Pagan. But Rodriguez drove for a layup with 2:41 left for the fifth tie setting up the finish.
Serbia 81, China 59
Yvonne Anderson scored 15 points as Serbia reached the quarterfinals and moved back atop Group A with the biggest win yet in this competitive pool. The Serbians knew immediately what this victory meant and ran to midcourt to celebrate once the clock expired.
Tina Krajisnik scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Serbia. Masa Jankovic had 13 points, and Jovana Nogic 11.
With eight lead changes and 10 ties, Serbia finally took control with a 10-3 spurt to finish the second quarter. Anderson, an Arkansas native, dropped a floater in with a second left for a 45-39 halftime lead. The Serbians took a 62-50 lead into the fourth quarter.
Serbia, which eliminated China in the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Games in 2021, lead by as much as 22. The Serbians dominated the paint with a 44-16 scoring edge.
Wang Siyu and Han Xu each led China with 11 points each.
Yao Ming, president of the Chinese Basketball Association, sat on the bench.
___
AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
