By DOUG FEINBERG, AP Basketball Author
SYDNEY (AP) — Nobody on Canada’s roster was alive the final staff the staff received a medal on the girls’s World Cup. Now the Canadians are a win away from profitable one for the primary time since 1986, after they captured the bronze.
Kia Nurse scored 17 factors to steer a balanced Canada staff to a 79-60 win over Puerto Rico on Thursday within the quarterfinals.
“It is actually particular,” Nurse mentioned. “It has been a piece in progress for us and all of us felt the disappointments. Quarterfinals have been our downfall for a very long time and to have the ability to recover from that hump. . .. I feel our nation is constant to get actually enthusiastic about basketball within the grassroots applications and that is simply the beginning of what we are able to accomplish.”
Subsequent up is a matchup Friday with the U.S., which beat Serbia 88-55. In different quarterfinal video games later Thursday, France performed China and Belgium confronted host Australia.
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“It’s all the time our aim to win a quarterfinal and make it to the semifinals. The medal rounds is the place we wish to be,” Canada’s Bridget Carleton mentioned.
Canada (5-1) and Puerto Rico had been tied 4-4 earlier than the Canadians scored the following 12 factors to start out a 22-7 burst to shut the quarter.
The lead ballooned to 44-23 on the half. Puerto Rico could not actually lower into its deficit within the second half thanks partially to Nurse and the truth that Canada dedicated solely 4 turnovers your complete recreation. After spending 11 months recovering from an ACL harm, she noticed her first recreation motion within the World Cup. She had her greatest recreation of the event in opposition to Puerto Rico.
The loss ended an incredible run for Puerto Rico, which superior to the quarterfinals for the primary time in its historical past. The gamers hoped the unprecedented run may convey some pleasure to the island which is recovering from Hurricane Fiona.
“The phrase legacy sums it up,” mentioned Arella Guirantes, who had 19 factors to steer Puerto Rico (2-4). “To go away one thing like that for the youth that is coming it up is greater than any win or loss that we are able to have. . . . It means quite a bit to be part of the start of a legacy. I’ve little question in my thoughts that we’ll be again and will probably be higher.”
UNITED STATES 88, SERBIA 55
Alyssa Thomas had 13 factors, 14 rebounds and 7 assists to assist the U.S. beat Serbia.
Kelsey Plum scored 17 factors and A’ja Wilson added 15 to steer the Individuals (6-0), who will face Canada.
The Individuals had run by pool play, profitable by 46.2 factors per recreation and hadn’t confronted any type of problem. Serbia (3-2) wasn’t afraid although, going proper on the U.S. The Serbians scored the primary basket of the sport — marking the primary time the Individuals trailed within the event.
It was back-and-forth for the primary 17 minutes, with the U.S. failing to go on any main run. Then, with 2:59 left within the half and the U.S. up by 5, Kahleah Copper drove to the basket and was fouled. She landed laborious on her hip and needed to be helped off the court docket by the U.S. coaching workers. Copper, who has been a sparkplug for the U.S. in her first event, didn’t return.
Plum changed Cooper and hit the 2 free throws, beginning a 12-0 run to shut the half because the Individuals led 50-33 on the break. Serbia did not problem that deficit within the second half.
Yvonne Anderson led Serbia with 14 factors.
Extra AP girls’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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