In a nail-biting overtime clash at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Ulaanbaatar, the Chinese women's team fell 21-19 to host nation Mongolia, falling short of the quarterfinals.
China ended the preliminary round third in Group A with a 2-2 record and faced Mongolia—runner-up in Group D—in a crossover battle for a quarterfinal berth.
The Chinese side capitalized on a height advantage early on but saw Mongolia close the gap. Despite grabbing six more rebounds overall, China struggled with foul trouble by halftime.
With just over 20 seconds left in regulation, the score stood at 17-17. Zhang Wanglai's layup briefly put China ahead, but a defensive foul sent Mongolia to the line, where they sank both free throws to retake the lead.
In another key moment, Zhang forced a jump ball during a handoff, regained possession, and drove to the rim to tie it at 19, sending the match into overtime.
However, in the extra period, China rushed its defensive sets. Mongolia seized the opportunity, scoring back-to-back points to seal the 21-19 victory and end China's title hopes.
Reference(s):
China's women lose to Mongolia 21-19 (OT) at FIBA 3×3 World Cup
cgtn.com
