China’s 80-89 loss to Russia yesterday has left them requiring a win over Turkey to ensure qualification to the second round of the 2010 World Championships.

If they do not get a result in that final pool match against the hosts today they could still advance if the Ivory Coast claim an unlikely first win of the championship by upsetting Puerto Rico, also this evening.

In the opening quarter it was one of China’s youngest players, Shulong Yu, who was leading his team’s charge over Russia, with five points as they snuck out to a 21-15 advantage by the time the quarter ended.

The advantage would not keep, as Russia surged back into the game through Sergey Monya’s three-pointers giving his team the lead for the majority of the second quarter.

It was only when China’s captain Zhizhi Wang stepped up and started to lead by example did China reclaim the lead with time running out.

The lead would continue to ebb and flow in the third quarter. When the session came to a close, it was Russia who found themselves holding the slenderest of margins, 63-62.

In the final quarter the Russians, led by Sasha Kaun, completely took the game away from China as their shooting began to falter at crucial moments, winning with relative ease.