The USA begin day three of the Rio 2016 women’s basketball tournament aiming to make it two wins out of two against a talented Spain unit.
Hosts Brazil are also in action as they look to secure a win at the second time of asking.
Group A
JAPAN CONTINUE OLYMPIC FAIRYTALE, BEAT BRAZIL
The hosts are 0-2, Japan are unbeaten.
The two-time Asian champions defeated Brazil 82-66 as they used a 10-0 run mid-way through the second quarter to secure what was a comfortable victory.
Brazil shot 26/58 (45 percent) from two-point range but that paled in comparison to Japan’s 28/47 (60 percent) performance. The Japanese also made Brazil pay dearly whenever they lost the ball, scoring 21 points off their 20 turnovers. Ramu Tokashiki led all scorers with 23 points for the victors.
Group B
USA EASE PAST SPAIN
In what was supposed to be one of the USA’s tougher tests, they instead breezed past a normally more competitive Spain side 103-63 in the day three opener.
Leading by double digits after the first period, the USA were briefly pushed in the second – but the States hit another gear in the third – and from there Spain were helpless.
Diana Taurasi led five Americans in double figures with 13 points.
CANADA EDGE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS
Serbia’s debut Olympic campaign has begun with two straight defeats after they were narrowly beaten 71-67 by Canada.
Kia Nurse led all scorers for the Canadians with 25 points as they came back from a 57-45 deficit heading into the final quarter to storm clear, holding their European opponents to just ten points in the fourth while scoring 26 themselves.
CHINA DOMINATE SENEGAL FOR FIRST WIN
After an opening day defeat, China bounced back emphatically with a dominant 101-64 win over Senegal, who drop to 0-2.
The African nation narrowed the gap to 34-33 mid-way through the second quarter but that was as close as they got to China, as they stormed to a 9-0 run to take a double-digit lead. They would not be caught.
Sun Mengran and Shao Ting had 17 points apiece to lead China.
