Day one of the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup delivered a dose of both the expected and unexpected.
The United States got their title defence campaign off to a strong start after they defeated Belgium 87-72 in their first game of the group stage in Sydney on Thursday (22 September).
Despite missing three players from their 12-woman roster who are en-route to Australia after the WNBA finals, Team USA did not stutter.
2018 World Cup tournament MVP Breanna Stewart led the way as she put up 22 points and four rebounds to ensure her side comfortably cruised past their European opponents.
Elsewhere, Canada clocked an important 67-60 victory in their tournament opener against Serbia.
It was a team effort from the fourth-ranked team with Kayla Alexander scoring 13 points, Nirra Fields adding 12 points and Natalia Achonwa getting 10 points and eight rebounds to guarantee the win over the European champions.
In a stacked Group B where only four teams out of six can advance every game counts.
And though they were down by one in the first quarter, the Canadians rallied back in the second to sit 38-28 up at the halftime break.
From there, they were able to stave off Serbia who cut the difference to just seven with under a minute to play.
Puerto Rico marked their first-ever World Cup win in emphatic style as they triumphed over Bosnia and Herzegovina 82-58.
Arella Guirantes sauntered with 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in a history-making performance for the Caribbean island.
Puerto Rico’s 31-point first quarter is the most ever produced by a team in a women’s World Cup and it set the tone for the rest of the encounter.
Japan, meanwhile, stormed to victory over Mali 89-56, laying down a marker of intent for the tournament.
The Tokyo 2020 silver medallists survived a tough opening quarter to bank the win with Hirashita Aika scoring a game-high 17 points off the bench.
Tokashiki Ramu, who missed the Games in Japan due to an ACL injury, underlined her return with a team-high seven rebounds.
READ: Tokashiki Ramu’s ready to sacrifice for Japan on return to global stage
2022: FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup: Schedule
Here is a breakdown of the tournament day-by-day. All times are in Australian Eastern Time (UTC +10).
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Friday 23 September
Group A
10:30 PUR v USA – Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
13:00 BEL v KOR – Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
14:30 CHN v BIH – Sydney Superdome
Group B
12:00 SRB v JPN – Sydney Superdome
18:00 FRA v CAN – Sydney Superdome
20:30 MLI v AUS – Sydney Superdome
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Saturday 24 September
Group A
14:30 USA v CHN – Sydney Superdome
18:00 BIH v KOR – Sydney Superdome
20:30 PUR v BEL – Sydney Superdome
Group B
Rest day
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Sunday 25 September
Group A
Rest day
Group B
14:30 MLI v FRA – Sydney Superdome
18:00 AUS v SRB – Sydney Superdome
20:30 JPN v CAN – Sydney Superdome
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Monday 26 September
Group A
11:30 BEL v BIH – Sydney Superdome
14:00 KOR v USA – Sydney Superdome
17:30 CHN v PUR – Sydney Superdome
Group B
13:30 SRB v MLI – Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
16:00 FRA v JPN – Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
20:30 AUS v CAN – Sydney Superdome
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Tuesday 27 September
Group A
11:30 PUR v KOR – Sydney Superdome
13:30 CHN v BEL – Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
14:00 USA v BIH – Sydney Superdome
Group B
16:00 MLI v CAN – Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
17:30 SRB v FRA – Sydney Superdome
20:30 AUS v JPN – Sydney Superdome
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Wednesday 28 September
Rest day
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Thursday 29 September
12:00 Quarterfinal 1 – Sydney Superdome
14:30 Quarterfinal 2 – Sydney Superdome
18:00 Quarterfinal 3 – Sydney Superdome
20:30 Quarterfinal 4 – Sydney Superdome
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Friday 30 September
17:00 Semi-final 1 – Sydney Superdome
19:30 Semi-final 2- Sydney Superdome
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Saturday 1 October
13:00 Third place game – Sydney Superdome
16:00 Final – Sydney Superdome
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