Early qualification for the World Cup! Wang Siyu leads with 14 points, 12 players score as Chinese women's basketball team defeats Czech Republic in World Cup qualifier

On March 15th at 19:30 Beijing time, in the fourth round of the Wuhan zone for the 2026 Women's Basketball World Cup qualifiers, the Chinese women's basketball team defeated the Czech Republic 84-74, securing early qualification to the World Cup with a record of 3 wins and 1 loss. In this match, all 12 players on the Chinese team contributed points.

Game scene

Technical statistics

Chinese team: Wang Siyu 14 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists; Han Xu 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist; Yang Shuyu 11 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists; Luo Xinyu 11 points, 2 rebounds; Li Yueru 9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist; Chen Yujie 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists; Chen Mingling 4 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists; Zhang ZiYu 4 points, 2 rebounds; Wang Jiaqi 3 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals; Zhang Mannan 3 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists; Tang Ziting 2 points, 5 rebounds; Zhang Ru 2 points

Czech team: Chekhova 23 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals; Holešinská 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists; Volakova 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals; Stopalova 11 points, 3 rebounds; Androva 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist; Hamzova 4 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists; Pospišilova 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist; Zejtamerova 3 points, 3 assists, 2 steals; Sotolova 1 rebound, 4 assists

Game recap

In the first quarter, Han Xu and Yang Shuyu scored via shots and free throws, giving China a 4-0 start. Chekhova utilized her individual skills for consecutive layups, and Holešinská hit a three-pointer, leading the Czech team to a 10-2 run to overtake the score. Li Yueru broke through and scored with free throws, Luo Xinyu made a layup, and China responded with a 6-0 run to regain the lead. After Zhang ZiYu entered the game, China's advantage became more evident, ending the quarter with a 17-12 lead.

In the second quarter, Han Xu and Yang Shuyu scored consecutive layups, forcing a Czech timeout. After the pause, Chen Mingling and Zhang Mannan scored from inside and outside, Han Xu made a layup, and China executed a 9-2 run to extend the lead to 12 points. Following Li Yueru's quick layup, China led 32-18, prompting another Czech timeout. Volakova scored consecutive mid-range shots, and the Czech team also managed an 8-2 run, leading China to call a timeout. After the pause, Zhang Ru scored a quick layup, and China ended the first half leading 37-29.

In the third quarter, both teams exchanged points from the start. Chen Yujie hit an open three-pointer, giving China an 8-point lead over the Czech team. Holešinská and Chekhova scored via shots and free throws, allowing the Czech team to gradually close the gap. Zhang ZiYu easily made a layup, Yang Shuyu scored with a pull-up layup, and China maintained an approximately 8-point lead. The Czech team's outside shooting became effective, hitting consecutive three-pointers, and Li Yueru immediately responded with a three-pointer. As Chen Yujie scored a buzzer-beater off the glass, China ended the third quarter leading 59-53.

In the fourth quarter, Han Xu and Luo Xinyu scored layups consecutively for 4 points, extending China's lead to 10 points and forcing a Czech timeout. After the pause, Chekhova drove inside and scored outside for 5 consecutive points, Holešinská also hit a three-pointer, and the Czech team narrowed the gap to 61-67, prompting China to call a timeout. After the game resumed, Luo Xinyu hit a three-pointer from the left corner, Holešinská immediately answered with another three-pointer, and the Czech team trailed by only 4 points. Zhang Mannan committed a foul resulting in an unsportsmanlike call, giving the Czech team two free throws and possession, but both free throws were missed. Stopalova scored a putback, and the Czech team trailed China 68-70 by 2 points.

Wang Jiaqi drew a foul and made one of two free throws to stabilize the situation. At the crucial moment, Wang Siyu hit a three-pointer, giving China a 74-68 lead by 6 points and forcing a Czech timeout. After the pause, both teams exchanged three-pointers, and Yang Shuyu even hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer. With 53.1 seconds remaining, Wang Siyu stole the ball and scored on a fast-break layup, prompting another Czech timeout. Wang Siyu then scored a floater for two more points and later made both free throws after being fouled. Ultimately, China defeated the Czech team 84-74.

Starting lineup

Chinese team: Zhang Mannan, Han Xu, Luo Xinyu, Yang Shuyu, Tang Ziting

Czech team: Holešinská, Stopalova, Volakova, Hamzova, Chekhova