MACAO - China girls' team 1 on Tuesday beat the France girls' team at the Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion in Macao, China, capturing the 2024 International School Sport Federation (ISF) World School Basketball Championship.

China overcame an early setback in the first quarter, rallying in the second to take the lead 41-36 by the end of the first half. They sustained the momentum in the second half until they secured a 72-65 victory.

Leading the charge for China, captain Hu Ruiyan scored a game-high 19 points, while Camille Chemin contributed 12 points for France.

Leading the charge for China, captain Hu Ruiyan scored a game-high 19 points, while Camille Chemin contributed 12 points for France

China head coach Peng Lijun told Xinhua that pre-game preparations involved analyzing past matches, focusing particularly on defense and rebounding. Acknowledging the good performance of France, she praised her players for their resilience under pressure.

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"The girls have gained valuable experience here, encountering teams from around the world," Peng said.

Later that day, Greece emerged victorious in the boys' final, defeating France 74-63 to claim the championship. Turkiye and New Zealand claimed the third places in the boys' and girls' games, respectively.

The 2024 ISF World School Basketball Championship, starting last Monday, features 37 teams from 20 countries and regions.

Kong Chi-meng, director of the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) of the Macao Special Administrative Region, highlighted the significance of this tournament as Macao hosts an international school basketball competition for the first time.

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"With over 600 athletes participating, the competition went smoothly. As the host, it was a delight to see the Chinese team win the championship," he remarked.