VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — Maria Araujo hit a 3-pointer with 3:06 left in overtime, capping a rally for Spain that beat China 90-89 on Sunday to open the women’s basketball group stage. Olympic Games in Paris with a flourish.

Queralt Casas threw the ball in the air when the whistle blew after Li Yueru scored with 4 seconds left on the clock. The Spaniards then gathered for a huge hug and jumped up and down in celebration of beating the world number 2.

Spain captain Alba Torrens called it an “astonishing victory.”

“We haven’t stopped believing, we haven’t stopped working, we haven’t stopped adapting,” she said.

Spain had another chance to win in the final seconds of regulation time. Leonor Rodriguez was thrown to the ground on her tying 3-pointer with 6.5 seconds left, but saw her free throw fall outside the rim, keeping the score tied at 76-76.

China’s long throw hit the backboard at the buzzer. China plays Serbia on Wednesday.

Spain took the lead to start overtime on a bucket by Megan Gustafson, and Rodriguez had one last chance to decide the game. She missed her first free throw with 13.2 seconds left, then sank the second to make it 90-87.

Gustafson, the AP Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year in 2019 from Iowa, Spain led with 29 points. Rodriguez finished with 25 as the fourth-placed Spaniards attempt to bounce back from a sixth-place finish at the Tokyo Games. Spain lost to the United States in the final at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

Li Yueru had a game-high 31 points and 15 rebounds. Li Meng added 13 points.

Serbia 58, Puerto Rico 55

Dragana Stankovic blocked a layup from Pamela Rosada with 6.3 seconds left and then fired in a free throw to protect Serbia from Puerto Rico.

Serbia ended up in 10th place, just ahead of Puerto Rico in the world rankings. Serbia looked like a team that was making its debut win bronze in his debut at the Rio Games in 2016, and then reached the semi-finals in Tokyo three years ago. At least through three quarters.

Puerto Rico never had a lead, never even trailing 55-36 after three games, but never gave up.

Serbia was leading 57-52 when officials had to break Stankovic and Puerto Rico forward Mya Hollingshed as they struggled for a rebound under the Serbian basket with 52.4 seconds left. Officials went into replay and reviewed violations.

Jacqueline Benitz hit three free throws to pull Puerto Rico back to 57-55. Stankovic then missed her two attempts, leaving Serbia to miss two shots before Puerto Rico got the ball with 24.3 seconds left.

Stankovic missed her second free throw and finished with a team-high 15 points. Puerto Rico could only manage a wild shot at the buzzer after a scramble at midcourt.

Jovana Nogic added 14 and Sasa Cadjo had 10 for Serbia. Trinity San Antonio led Puerto Rico with 11.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games