At the end of the third round of the group stage of the U18 Women's Basketball Asian Cup, all the strong teams advanced to the semi-finals, especially Australia and China, which advanced with a winning record. Let's take a look back at the highlights of each match and look ahead to the upcoming semi-finals.
South Korea defeated Malaysia 75-35 in the third round. The match showed a huge disparity of strength from the start. Although Malaysia could barely keep up with South Korea's rhythm in the first quarter, from the second quarter, South Korea completely controlled the pace of the game.
The South Korean team had an excellent outside touch, especially Jung Hyun, who made three of five three-pointers and laid the foundation for the team's victory. The victory also put South Korea in second place in the group with a record of 2 wins and 1 loss, and successfully qualified for the semi-finals. On the other hand, the Malaysian team lost all three games and regrettably bid farewell to this competition in advance.
Another high-profile match is Australia against Chinese Taipei. In the end, the Australian team won 90-67. From the start of the game, the Australian team showed strong offensive and defensive strength, and established a lead in the first quarter.
Although Chinese Taipei bounced back in the third quarter, winning by five points in a single quarter, they failed to continue the momentum in the crucial fourth quarter. The Australian team relied on solid performance to win by 23 points. The victory also allowed Australia to win all three games and advance to the semi-finals. Chinese Taipei, on the other hand, will compete with South Korea for another spot in the semi-finals.
New Zealand won 70-50 against Indonesia. There was little suspense in this game, and the New Zealand team dominated from the start. At the end of the first half, Indonesia had just 18 points, while New Zealand had already taken a 20-point lead.
Throughout the game, the New Zealand team showed great dominance at both ends of the pitch. In the end, they defeated Indonesia by 20 points and finished third in the group. Although New Zealand's 1-2 record is not ideal, they still have a chance to fight the group runners-up for a place in the semi-finals. The Indonesian team lost all three games and missed the semi-finals.
The match between China and Japan can be regarded as the focus of Group B. In the end, the Chinese team defeated the Japanese team 97-81, maintained a winning record, and successfully advanced to the semifinals. In this game, Zhang Ziyu of the Chinese team performed exceptionally well, scoring 44 points and 14 rebounds in the game, and almost single-handedly led the team to victory.
At the beginning of the game, Zhang Ziyu was full of firepower and scored 9 points in a row, allowing the Chinese team to quickly take the lead. However, after she was out of the break, Japan seized the opportunity and gradually narrowed the gap. At the end of the first quarter, the Chinese team only led by 3 points. Netizens said at this time: "As soon as Zhang Ziyu is not there, I feel that the team's offensive rhythm is chaotic." ”
Zhang Ziyu reappeared on the field and led the team to regain control of the pace of the game. Not only did she frequently win on the offensive end, but she also actively grabbed rebounds on the defensive end and blocked opponents' shots. Under her leadership, the Chinese team's lead gradually expanded. A fan said on social media: "Zhang Ziyu is simply the team's anchor, as soon as she is on the field, everyone plays more confidently." ”
In the third quarter, Japan tried to catch up with the score with fast breaks and outside shots, but Zhang's outstanding performance made their efforts come to naught. Not only did she score herself, but she also assisted her teammates to keep Japan off guard. A commentator on the sidelines said excitedly: "It's really a pleasure to watch Zhang Ziyu play, her skills and physical fitness are really invincible at this age." ”
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Chinese team widened the difference to more than 20 points in one fell swoop and completely locked the victory. Zhang Ziyu once again showed her unparalleled scoring ability and control of the game in this quarter. A Japanese fan reluctantly commented: "In today's game, we couldn't guard her at all, she was like a basketball machine." ”
After the game, Zhang Ziyu's performance attracted widespread attention. Social media is full of praise for her. A netizen wrote: "Zhang Ziyu is really strong, not only has excellent scoring ability, but is also very calm at critical moments, this is the real star of the future." Another netizen sighed: "With her, the Chinese team will definitely have a better performance in the next games." ”
At the same time, some netizens paid attention to the overall performance of the team. A veteran fan commented: "Although Zhang Ziyu's performance is very outstanding, the other players cannot be ignored. It is everyone's cooperation and hard work that allows the Chinese team to win in this crucial game. Someone else mentioned the coach's contribution: "The coach's adjustment when Zhang Ziyu was off the field was very timely, ensuring that the team's defense and offense did not have too many problems. ”
For the upcoming semi-finals, netizens are full of expectations. An enthusiastic fan said: "I hope Zhang Ziyu and the Chinese team can continue to maintain this form and strive to win the final championship!" Another fan said: "The opponents in the semi-finals are also very strong, and I hope the team is ready and not to take it lightly." ”
This match not only allowed the Chinese team to successfully advance to the semifinals, but also made more people see Zhang Ziyu's huge potential. Her performance on the court is not only a statistic of scoring and rebounding, but also a demonstration of leadership temperament. Whether it is the fighting spirit on the field or the teamwork off the field, Zhang Ziyu and her teammates are full of expectations.
With the end of the group stage, the situation of the semi-finals is gradually becoming clear. Australia and China both qualified for the semi-finals with both winning records, and for now, they are likely to face South Korea and Chinese Taipei, respectively.
As a strong team in Group A, Australia has shown great dominance in both attack and defence. Their style of play is simple and efficient, the players are tacit and the individual ability is outstanding. Although the South Korean team performed well against Malaysia, in the face of a strong opponent like Australia, the South Korean team needs to show more tenacious fighting spirit and higher tactical execution.
The Chinese team showed great overall strength and individual ability, especially Zhang Ziyu, who performed impressively in the group stage. Facing Chinese Taipei, the Chinese team needs to continue its previous good form, especially Zhang Ziyu's performance will directly affect the result of the game. Although Chinese Taipei performed well in the group stage, they will need to be at their best at both ends of the pitch against a strong Chinese team.
This year's U18 Women's Basketball Asian Cup can be described as a group of champions, and the showdown between strong teams is wonderful. The all-win advance of Australia and China undoubtedly makes them the biggest favorites in this tournament.