In the group stage of the U17 Men's Basketball World Cup, the Chinese men's basketball team lost to Guinea 92-101. This game not only made people see the shortcomings of the Chinese men's basketball team in the international arena, but also caused widespread doubts about the coaching philosophy of head coach Li Xiaoyong.
It was a night of tension and anticipation, and the atmosphere in the arena was like a volcano that could erupt at any moment. At the beginning of the game, the Chinese team looked a little nervous, and the Guinean team quickly got into the groove, constantly scoring with quick offensive and defensive transitions and accurate shots. The Chinese men's basketball team was hesitant on the offensive end, and the defensive end was full of holes, and the Guinean players hit the Chinese team's defense like arrows from the string.
The loss of control of the rebounding ball became the turning point of the game. The Guinean team was like no one under the basket, frequently grabbing offensive rebounds, and scoring on the second offense. The Chinese team was weak in the competition for rebounding, resulting in a passive game throughout the game. Although Xun Sinan performed well, cutting down 25 points, 8 rebounds and 7 blocks, he still couldn't save the defeat.
After the game, Li Xiaoyong's remarks were once again pushed to the forefront. He once said in an interview that there were fewer games in American high schools after March, resulting in players not systematically training and playing for nearly two months, and their state was average, "very, very soft." This remark is undoubtedly an allusion to Xun Sinan. However, Xun Sinan's outstanding performance in this game undoubtedly slapped Li Xiaoyong in the face. If Xun Sinan follows Li Xiaoyong's advice to stay in China, I am afraid that his career development will be greatly affected.
Li Xiaoyong's remarks not only call into question his judgment, but also cast doubt on the legitimacy of his coaching philosophy. Xun Sinan's performance proves the importance of going out, and the experience in the international arena obviously plays an irreplaceable role in the growth and improvement of players.
In this game, Xun Sinan became the highlight of the Chinese team. His pressing power on both ends of the floor was evident, with impressive stats of 25 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks. However, the performance of the other team members was lackluster. The team's three-point shooting percentage was pitifully low, and the lack of enthusiasm for rebounding was even more disappointing. Throughout the game, as many as 9 players played iron frequently, and such a performance made the team unable to recover.
Li Xiaoyong has exposed many problems in the process of coaching. First, he failed to establish a clear starting line-up, resulting in a lack of consistency and chemistry on the field. Secondly, he was largely unable to make effective adjustments on the sidelines, and looked helpless against Guinea's strong attack. More critically, his selection strategy has also been criticized.
In this squad, Li Xiaoyong actually brought 7 defenders, and 7 players were less than 195 cm tall and 5 players were less than 190 cm tall. This configuration seems very unreasonable, and we lose rebounds every game and fall into a passive situation. Such a selection strategy was undoubtedly a failure and directly affected the overall performance of the team.
In modern basketball, the importance of rebounding is self-evident. Li Xiaoyong led 7 guards, but his obvious lack of height and strength directly led to the loss of control of the rebound. Guinea's advantage in rebounding is like a sharp sword, constantly piercing the Chinese team's defense. Such a player configuration not only made the team lose its competitiveness in the game, but also made people question Li Xiaoyong's selection criteria and coaching philosophy.
The loss of this game put the Chinese men's basketball team in a disadvantageous situation in the group stage, and also exposed the team's lack of technical, tactical and psychological quality. Li Xiaoyong's coaching philosophy and selection strategy have been widely questioned. In order to achieve better results in future competitions, the Chinese men's basketball team must carry out deep reflection and adjustment.
The future of the Chinese men's basketball team is full of challenges, but it is also full of hope. Every failure is an opportunity to learn, and as long as we can learn from it and continue to improve and improve, we will definitely be able to make breakthroughs in the international arena. Let us look forward to the Chinese men's basketball team showing stronger competitiveness and combat effectiveness in future competitions and contributing to the rise of Chinese basketball.