China defeated the Czech Republic 74-70 in overtime at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup on September 6, 2026, after rallying from a five-point deficit with less than 30 seconds left to force extra time [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Center Han Xu, a New York Liberty player, led China with 22 points and 14 rebounds, recording a double-double as she expressed pride in her team's resolve. "I feel so proud of my teammates and coach. Even the last quarter we lost six points but we never gave up," she said [1, 6].
China’s campaign had stumbled after a lopsided 94-61 opening loss to the United States earlier on the tournament's first day[s1-s6]. This win over the Czech Republic offered a turnaround moment in their group-stage play.
In the tense final moments, Luo Xinyu nailed a three-pointer to reduce the gap, followed by Yang Shuyu scoring to tie the game at 64-64, sending it to overtime [6]. China then outscored the Czech team in the extra period to secure the victory.
Han also highlighted her strong on-court synergy with 19-year-old center Zhang Ziyu, who stands 2.2 metres (7-foot-3-inch) tall and has gained attention for her defensive presence and finishing skills in her first senior national call-up. "If me and her both go to the court together, I always want to give her good energy. She’s the best post player, she can finish to the rim and she can protect the paint," Han said [1].
Other action on the same day included Italy narrowly losing 55-52 to the United States, with Jackie Young scoring 10 points for the U.S. team [6]. Meanwhile, Mali pulled off their first-ever victory over a European side by defeating Spain 82-73 in Group A [1, 2].
China will face Italy in their final group-stage match on September 7, after Italy's close contest with the United States earlier on September 6[s1-s6].
