Watch: Kamilla Cardoso Gets Emotional As Brazil Crashes Out After Loss to China
It was a tough night for the Chicago Sky center, Kamilla Cardoso, as Brazil’s fate hung in the balance until the final buzzer in front of 8,355 fans in Hubei province.
Led by Han Xu’s 22 points, China secured its spot in the World Cup by defeating Brazil 83–71 on March 17 in Wuhan. That moment meant Brazil would not be going to the World Cup.
Shortly after the loss, a fan page took to X to share a clip showing Cardoso in tears on the Brazil bench.
For Cardoso, it was especially painful. The center averaged 16.3 points per game and 9.8 rebounds in the qualifying tournament. However, that wasn't enough to turn the tables.
Brazil trailed 69-54 entering the fourth quarter but cut the deficit to 8 points before Han Xu scored four straight points to stabilize China, and Chen Mingling made 2 free throws with 30 seconds left to seal the 83–71 win.
With the result, Brazil ended the group phase with a 2-3 record, finishing fifth in the standings. This will be the third time in a row that the team has not qualified for a spot in the World Cup. The last time they played in the Cup was in 2014 in Turkey, when they finished 11th.
This also means that their World Cup trophy drought will extend over 32 years, since the last time they won was in 1994. For now, their focus will be on the Los Angeles Olympics 2028.
Meanwhile, Xu and her team are using this win against Cardoso and Brazil as a learning opportunity.
Team China's Coach Speaks About the Win
Han led China with 22 points and 8 rebounds, while Wang Siyu added 17 points, and Zhang Manman and Yang Shuyu contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.
“It's a very valuable chance for Team China to play in a high-level competition,” China coach Gong Luming said after the game.
He further added, "Our young players handled the pressure well, and we gained valuable experience. This is a very good learning experience for our entire team," highlighting how much the experience meant for China’s squad.
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Written by
Sauramita Debbarma
Edited by
Siddharth Shirwadkar