(BEIJING, September 14) -- The unbeaten United States will challenge Germany in the gold medal match, and Japan will challenge Australia in the bronze medal match, during the finals of Women's Wheelchair Basketball on Monday, September 15, at the National Indoor Stadium.
Also on Monday, four other teams that did not advance to the medal round will compete in play-offs for fifth-eighth places.
United States vs. Germany (Gold medal game)
Team USA is undefeated this far in the tournament, with a group A preliminary record including a 42-38 win against Germany.
For the final against Germany, guard Patty Cisneros said the United States will need to improve its shooting and "fine-tune" other aspects of the game, such as press and offense.
Germany, who has not won a medal in the Women's Wheelchair Basketball since Seoul 1988, finished second to the US team in the group A preliminaries. Germany won its quarterfinal game against the Netherlands on Friday, and won a semifinal game against Japan on Saturday.
Center Annette Kahl said Germany is confident to avenge the preliminaries loss to Team USA. "We didn't believe in ourselves," Kahl said. "They have a very aggressive defense and we sometimes find it very difficult. We can break it."
Japan vs. Australia (Bronze medal game)
After posting a 4-0 record in group B preliminary matches and defeating Great Britain in Friday's quarterfinals, Japan lost to Germany in Saturday's semifinal.
Coach Iwasa Yoshiaki noted after Japan's loss to Germany in the semifinals that his team's relative lack of height could be a problem when competing against Australia. "The Australian players are also (like Germany's players) very tall, and the game will be a big challenge for us," Iwasa said.
Australia finished its group A preliminary games with a 2-2 record, won Friday's quarterfinal game against Canada, and lost Saturday's semifinal match against the United States.
Guard Kelly Gauci cited Australia's 27 turnovers and several missed throws as her team's key errors in their semifinal loss against the United States.
Canada vs. the Netherlands (Classification game, play-off for fifth-sixth place)
Canada, the reigning World Champion, finished 3-1 in group B preliminaries, but lost a quarterfinal match to Australia on Saturday. The team went on to win against China in Sunday's classification game.
Center Misty Thomas said Canada will continue to play for the best possible result. "We're very disappointed we didn't get into the medal round, but if fifth place is the best we can do, then fifth place is what we want," Thomas said.
The Netherlands went 2-2 in the group B preliminary round, but lost to Germany in Friday's quarterfinals. The team then defeated Great Britain in Sunday's classification game.
To prepare for the play-off, forward Barbara Van Bergen said the Netherlands will review footage of its preliminary game loss against Canada. "We will look at the videos, discuss tactics and go for it."
China vs. Great Britain (Classification game, play-off for 7th-8th place)
After posting a 1-4 record in the group B preliminaries, China lost its quarterfinal game against Team USA on Saturday, and lost the classification game against Canada on Sunday.
Guard Chen Qiurong noted that China's shortcomings in her team's Sunday classification game loss to Canada stemmed from a mediocre defense and a low shooting percentage. "Also, we also need to improve our wheelchair techniques," Chen said.
Great Britain had a 1-3 record group A, and went on to lose to Japan in Saturday's quarterfinals and to the Netherlands in Sunday's classification game.
Following Great Britain's classification game loss to the Netherlands on Sunday, guard Clare Strange said the British team needs to improve for the play-off for seventh-eighth place against China on Monday. "We've got to pick ourselves up and do better," Serange said. "I think it's about getting a good start."
