(Beijing, January 25) In the women's bronze-medal match of the "Good Luck Beijing" 2008 Wheelchair Basketball International Invitational Tournament held at the National Indoor Stadium this morning, the Japanese team won the third place by beating the Chinese team 61-44. Throughout the match the Japanese team showed its technical superiority and widened the score gap after the third quarter to secure the victory.

As a traditionally strong team, Japan placed sixth at the 2006 World Championships. The two teams had met in the round-robin preliminaries, with Japan winning 62-47.

In the first five minutes of the first quarter, the two sides drew at 10-10. Afterwards, Japan gradually took the upper hand and led 20-13 at the end of the period. In the second quarter, China once caught up with 24-26, but in the last three minutes the Japanese made a 5-0 run, finishing with a 7-point lead at halftime.

In the third quarter the Japanese further extended its lead and entered the fourth 47-32. Five minutes into the last quarter, the Japanese led 55-36 to secure their win. The match ended with Japan claiming the third place with 61-44.