2024 Olympic Games: Group A preview

The women’s 5×5 basketball competition begins Sunday, July 28 and concludes Sunday, August 11 with the gold medal game. The field features 12 national teams, divided into three groups of four teams.

Group A: Serbia, Spain, China, Puerto Rico

Group B: Canada, Nigeria, Australia, France

Group C: Germany, United States, Japan, Belgium

Group play consists of a single round-robin tournament, with the first- and second-place teams advancing to the quarterfinals. The top two third-place teams also will advance to the quarters, where, after a draw, the competition becomes a single-elimination tournament, which will begin on Wednesday, August 7. Group games will be held at Pierre Malloy Stadium in Lille, France, while Accor Arena in Paris will host the quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games.

Here’s more on the four teams contending to advance out of Group A:

Serbia

Roster: Ivana Raca, Nevena Rosic, Saša Čado, Nevena Jovanović, Yvonne Anderson, Dragana Stanković, Jovana Nogić, Maša Janković, Aleksandra Katanic, Angela Dugalic, Tina Krajišnik-Jovanovic, Mina Djordjevic

Under head coach Marina Malijković, the White Eagles, fourth-place finishers at the 2020 Games, will seek the national program’s second Olympic medal (bronze, 2016) behind the leadership of point guard Yvonne Anderson, the Arkansas native and University of Texas (2008-12) star who has represented Serbia since 2021. The Serbian national team also features rising UCLA senior forward Angela Dugalic and Ivana Raca, who played forward at Wake Forest (2017-21) and was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2021 WNBA Draft.

Spain

Roster: María Araújo, Queralt Casas, Maite Cazorla, María Conde, Laura Gil, Paula Ginzo, Megan Gustafson, Mariona Ortiz, Lenor Rodríguez, Leticia Romero, Alba Torrens, Andrea Vilaró

Head coach Miguel Méndez and the Spanish national team are aiming for a second Olympic medal (silver, 2016) at the 2024 Paris Games after a sixth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Forward Alba Torrens, a 2009 WNBA Draft selection by the Connecticut Sun who has built an illustrious career overseas, leads the Spanish squad, supported by point guard Maite Cazorla, who played at Oregon (2015-2019) and for the Atlanta Dream (2019), and Las Vegas Aces’ forward Megan Gustafson, who made her national team debut for Spain at February’s FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Sopron, Hungary.

China

Roster: Han Xu, Huang Sijing, Li Meng, Li Yuan, Li Yueru, Luo Xinyu, Sun Mengran, Wang Siyu, Wu Tongtong, Yang Liwei, Yang Shuyu, Zhang Ru

Following a fifth-place effort at the 2020 Olympics, head coach Zheng Wei and China hope to capture the national team’s first medal in more than three decades and third-overall Olympic triumph (silver, 1992; bronze, 1984). Han Xu stands tall as the star of the Chinese squad. The 6-foot-9 center who has played three seasons with the New York Liberty (2019, 2022-23) is joined by wing Li Meng, an All-Rookie selection for the Washington Mystics last season, and center Li Yueru, who, after seeing limited opportunity for the Chicago Sky in 2023, has enjoyed extended opportunity for the Los Angeles Sparks this season.

Puerto Rico

Roster: Arella Guirantes, Mya Hollingshed, Pamela Rosado, Tayra Meléndez, Trinity San Antonio, Brianna Jones, India Pagán, Isalys Quiñones, Sofía Roma, Jacqueline Benítez, Ahlana Smith, Mariah Pérez, Allison Gibson

Earning an Olympic berth for the second-straight games, Puerto Rico will strive to establish itself as a player on the world stage under head coach Jerry Batista. Former Rutgers star guard Arella Guirantes, who spent time playing for the Los Angeles Sparks (2021) and Seattle Storm (2023) before emerging as an integral player for Beretta Familia Schio, and forward Mya Hollingshed, a Colorado standout (2017-22) and the No. 8 overall pick by the Las Vegas Aces in the 2022 WNBA Draft, will carry the load for the Puerto Ricans, while guard Trinity San Antonio, a rising senior at Grand Canyon University, will look to find a role on the squad.

Group A schedule

Sunday, July 28

Spain vs. China (7:30 a.m. ET)

Serbia vs. Puerto Rico (3 p.m. ET)

Wednesday, July 31

Puerto Rico vs. Spain (5 a.m. ET)

China vs. Serbia (7:30 a.m. ET)

Saturday, August 3

China vs. Puerto Rico (5 a.m. ET)

Serbia vs. Spain (7:30 a.m. ET)