This game is simply amazing! In the group stage of the 2024 FIBA U18 Women's Basketball Asian Cup, our Chinese U18 women's basketball team defeated the Japanese team with a score of 97-81, won three consecutive victories, and won all the group to qualify! This victory was hard-won, so let's take a look back at this exciting match!
Pre-match situation: Who will have the last laugh in the duel between the two heroes?
This game can be said to be the "highlight" of the group stage of this U18 Women's Basketball Asian Cup. Why? Because both Chinese and Japanese teams have won both games before, whoever wins this game will be able to directly advance to the semi-finals as the group leader. It can be said that this game is directly related to the subsequent road to the championship of the two teams.
The Chinese team's performance in the first two games was quite impressive. He defeated Indonesia 109-50 in the first game and New Zealand 90-68 in the second game. Our "big man" Zhang Ziyu has become the biggest highlight of the team, scoring 19 points and 36 points respectively in the two games, which is simply a scoring machine! Not to be outdone, the Japanese team also won both games. They beat New Zealand 84-47 in their first game and Indonesia 80-29 in their second game. I have to say that the strength of the Japanese team is also quite strong.
So this game is destined to be a battle of the dragons. Both teams will want to win and secure a better qualifying position for themselves. Before the game started, the atmosphere at the scene was already tense to the extreme!
Fierce battle in the first quarter: You come and go, and it is difficult to distinguish between them
At the beginning of the game, the two sides engaged in a fierce battle. The Chinese team took the lead in attacking, and our "super center" Zhang Ziyu scored first on the inside, firing the first shot for the Chinese team. Not to be outdone, Japan quickly equalized with a penalty kick. The rest of the game was very fast-paced. Zhang Ziyu continued to show his might on the inside, scoring 7 points in a row to help the Chinese team take an 11-4 lead. It's a pretty good start!
However, the Japanese team did not admit defeat. They called a timeout in time, adjusted their tactics and hit two three-pointers in a row to quickly close the gap. It seems that the Japanese team's long-range shooting ability is also quite good! Although the Chinese team once stretched the score to 20:12, the Japanese team did not give up. When Zhang Ziyu came off the break, the Japanese team seized the opportunity and chased the score to 20 draws with a wave of onslaught. That's the beauty of a high-level game, where the score is always changing as you go back and forth.
At the end of the first quarter, the Chinese team had a slight lead at 23:20. The advantage of 3 points shows that the strength of the two teams is equal, and the next game will definitely be more exciting!
The second quarter of the competition: the inside line, the Chinese team has a slight advantage
Entering the second quarter, the Chinese team significantly strengthened the interior offense. Our big men continued to attack under the basket, and at one point stretched the score to 30-23. It's a smart way of playing and it makes the most of our height. But the Japanese team is not easy to mess with. They stubbornly bit the score by shooting from mid-to-long distance. Japan's projection ability is really impressive, and if we don't defend well, they could catch up at any time.
It is worth mentioning that Zhang Ziyu's performance in the first half was perfect. She had 19 points and five rebounds at halftime. This girl is simply the Dinghai Needle of the Chinese team!
The start of the second half: Zhang Ziyu was unable to support himself, and the Chinese team fell into a hard battle
Heading into the second half, the intensity of the game went even further. Zhang Ziyu continued to exert his power on the inside, scoring 11 points in the first six minutes of the third quarter. Under her leadership, the Chinese team once stretched the score to 65-50. But basketball is a five-person sport. It is not enough to rely on Zhang Ziyu's performance alone. The Japanese team began to defend Zhang Ziyu in a targeted manner, and the offensive efficiency of the other Chinese players decreased.
The Japanese team took the opportunity to launch a counterattack, and their fast transmission and accurate projection made the Chinese team's defense porous many times. The score was once chased to 65-60, and the Chinese team only led by 5 points. At this time, the head coach of the Chinese team on the sidelines immediately called a timeout. He redeployed his tactics and emphasized the need to strengthen overall cooperation and not rely on Zhang Ziyu alone. At the same time, he also encouraged other players to dare to shoot and share the offensive pressure of Zhang Ziyu.
Late third quarter: The whole team works hard to re-establish the advantage
After returning from the pause, the Chinese team obviously played a different spirit. In addition to Zhang Ziyu continuing to stabilize the output on the inside, other players also stepped forward. Our point guards started to play more and create opportunities for their teammates. The forward player's projection also found its senses, hitting several key three-pointers in quick succession. This kind of team-wide attacking style makes the Japanese team's defense take care of one or the other.
By the end of the third quarter, the Chinese team had reextended the lead to 71:53. Zhang Ziyu cut down the "double double" data of 30 points and 10 rebounds in the third quarter, which is simply the female version of the "big dream"!
Final Quarter: Withstand the pressure and seal the victory
Entering the final quarter, the Japanese team fought with their backs and played a wave of small climaxes. Their three-point shot suddenly became accurate, hitting several long-range shots in a row, and at one point narrowed the gap to within 10 points. At this time, the Chinese girls on the field did not panic. They continued to play at their own pace. Zhang Ziyu continued to exert his strength on the inside, and the other team members also did their part.
In particular, our substitutes played well at this stage. Not only did they stabilize the situation on the pitch, but they also bought valuable rest time for the main players. This fully reflects the overall strength and bench depth of the Chinese team. In the end, the Chinese team defeated the Japanese team with a score of 97-81. Zhang Ziyu scored an astonishing 42 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists in the whole game, which can be called a dominating performance!
What it means to win: more than just a game
This victory is significant for the Chinese U18 women's basketball team. First of all, it helped the team to qualify directly for the semi-finals as group winners, laying a good foundation for the championship. Secondly, the victory over the strong rival Japanese team greatly boosted the morale of the team.
More importantly, this game shows the future of the Chinese women's basketball team. Zhang Ziyu is undoubtedly the brightest new star, but the performances of other young players are also worth looking forward to. Their calm performance under high pressure showed good psychological quality and competition experience.
Looking for the future: There is still a long way to go, but we are full of confidence
Despite this important victory, the journey of the Chinese U18 women's basketball team has just begun. The semi-finals and possible finals await them. Every game will be a new challenge and it will take the whole team to keep working hard. However, through this game, we saw the unlimited potential of this young team. They not only have superstars like Zhang Ziyu, but also a group of good players who can fight tough battles. As long as they continue to maintain this form, I believe they will be able to achieve good results in this U18 Women's Basketball Asian Cup!
Let's look forward to the next performance of the Chinese U18 women's basketball team! I believe that they will be able to create more brilliance in the international arena and win more honors for Chinese basketball! This Chinese U18 women's basketball team's 97-81 victory over Japan is not only a victory, but also a wonderful preview of the future of Chinese women's basketball. Zhang Ziyu's super performance of 42 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists, and the fighting spirit of the whole team united as one, all gave us hope.
Although the game has ended, the story of the Chinese women's basketball team has just begun. Let's cheer for these young girls and look forward to their success in the future! The future of Chinese basketball is worth looking forward to!