Cymone Bouchard scored a game-high 14 points, added with Leighann Doan's 12 points and six rebounds for Canada, delivering the biggest blow to the Americans Group B clash.

The two teams had met in a Four Nation, including China and Australia, invitational in the south of China earlier this month, in which the United States wrapped up the tournament with a perfect record.

Canada took early control of the game as it led 18-17 after the first quarter, but found itself down by one point before halftime, 33-32.

The Americans, who finished second after losing to Spain in the final two years ago in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, fought their way to extend the lead by just three points after half an hour.

In the decisive quarter, the Canadians out-scored their opponents 18-14 to have the biggest win in the first round.

Power forwards Sui Feifei and Chen Luyun had 20 points each to lead the Chinese women's basketball team to a 119-67 slash of Chinese Taipei.

China, who won the East Asian Games golds in May, outscored Chinese Taipei in every quarter.

Guard Ma Yi-hung led Chinese Taipei, who finished sixth in the last version of the competition two years ago, by 17 points.

In Thursday's other matches, the Czech Republic won their second game by defeating Peru, 105-61; Holland edged off Sweden, 82-75; Brazil succumbed Nigeria, 100-35; Portugal held off Lithuania, 61-48.

(Xinhua News Agency 08/24/2001)