ESP/CHN/JPN/ARG – Spain edge China to win Alcobendas event

MADRID (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women) – Spain underlined their status as one of the favourites to claim a place at the Beijing Games via the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women by beating China to win the Torneo Alcobendas.

The Spanish thrashed Argentina 92-43 and then edged China 64-60 to win the event and put the finishing touches on their preparations for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women.

In their win against Argentina, who just finished runners-up to Brazil at the South American Championship, Evaristo Perez’s team but sealed victory midway through the second quarter after opening up a 35-14 advantage.

Amaya Valdemoro, the MVP of last year’s EuroBasket in Italy, had 20 points to pace Spain.

Perez’s team then scraped a 64-60 win over Olympic hosts China to remain perfect in their warm-up games for Madrid, where Spain will take on Brazil and Fiji in Group C and then face Belarus, Cuba or Chinese Taipei in a quarter-final.

Japan, who are in Group A of the qualifying tournament in Madrid with Latvia and Senegal, lost to China 91-70 after a 28-point explosion from Tom Maher’s big center Chen Nan.

Tomohide Utsumi’s Japanese bounced back to prevail over Argentina 60-55 to clinch third place at Alcobendas.

Marcela Paoletta had 21 points and Carolina Sanchez 20 for Argentina but it was a balanced Japanese attack led by Noriko Koiso’s 10 points that won out in the end.

Argentina will be in Group B in Madrid with the Czech Republic and Angola.

FIBA