Sports/Olympics / Basketball

China to play warm-up for women's basketball worlds
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-09-05 09:00

BRASILIA, September 4 -- The national women's basketball teams of Brazil, China, Canada and Spain will play the II Eletrobras International Cup in September 6-9 in Sao Paulo's Guarulhos Arena.

The Cup will serve as a warm up for the 2006 FIBA Women's World, which will be held in the Sao Paulo metro region from September 12 to 23.

China will play its first match at the II Eletrobras International Cup on Wednesday, September 6 at 8 p.m. (local time) against Canada, before returning on Thursday afternoon to play Spain.

Also on Thursday, Brazil opens its playing against Canada, before meeting the Chinese on Friday at 6 p.m and against Spain on Saturday to close the short event.

Another match will pit Spain and Canada earlier on Friday.

Last weekend, Brazil and China played two friendly matches in Barueri, which is also in the metro region of Sao Paulo and will host the Chinese team during the preliminary and eight-final rounds of the World Championship.

On Sunday, China beat Brazil 88-76, after losing the previous tie 92-60 on Saturday.

"Brazil did not play well, we took advantage of the opportunities and won," said China's head coach Tom Maher when commenting about the Sunday match.

"We are still in the preparation stage and it is the time to face difficulties, in order to shape up the time for the World Championship," said Brazil's head coach Antonio Carlos Barbosa.