The Russian women's basketball team rallied from five points down in the third quarter to snatch a 77-72 win over South Korea in their Group A match in the Beijing Olympic Games on Monday.

The European champions, who were bronze medlists four year ago and cruised past Latvia in their group opener on Saturday, trailed in the third period by 54-59, but fought back with a strong 23-12 fourth quarter run for the victory.

Both sides changed the lead for 12 times and got seven times tied. From then on Russia pulled away after Lee Misun scored a three-pointer and made it 72-70. They never look back.

"Every game is close and every team wants to win," said Russia's Svetlana Abrosimova. "You have to fight to the end."

Five players scored double digits for Russia with Tatliana Shchegoleva and Liona Korstin 13 points each. Marina Karpulinina tossed in 12, Irina Osipova 11 and Rebekka Linn Hammon 10 for the Russians, who outshot South Korea 61 percent to 54 percent and grabbed 34 rebounds to 12 by South Korea, who upset Brazil on Saturday.

"They played a really tough game," said Hammon. "They kept the floor spreading, and it made it hard defensively, so we needed to keep focused."

Russia will meet Belarus whle South Korea face world champion Australia on Wednesday in their third preliminary round match.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2008)