The final of the 2024 FIBA U18 Women's Basketball Asian Cup ushered in the final match, and the Chinese women's basketball U18 against the defending champion Australian women's basketball U18 contributed a wonderful matchup. For the Chinese women's basketball team, this game is the hardest game played since the start of the game, because not only other players are in a suppressed state when facing Australia, but Zhang Ziyu, as our strong point on the inside, was also limited by the opponent's defense in this game. After adjustment, he once recovered his state and found his touch, and hit the offensive end one after another to help the Chinese women's basketball team bite the score, and stalemate with it, but in the end, the women's basketball team still lost the game 79-96 and missed the championship.
The Chinese women's basketball team starts Xu Fengwei, Wang Jiaxin, Li Yuwang, Zhang Ziyue, Zhang Ziyu. Australia's starting line-up Shears, Dees, Bobangi, Shomfoy, Williams. At the beginning of the game, Zhang Ziyu jumped the ball and did not get the ball, which he had never seen in the previous games; Australia came up and attacked, but neither side scored in the previous round, and then Williams on the opposite side hit a layup against Zhang Zhiyu. At the beginning of the game, they frequently hit the basket and gave enough physical confrontation, and at the beginning of the game, they took the lead 4:2, but fortunately, Wang Jiaxin hit a three-point shot, and the two sides began to fall into a tug-of-war, and the score rose alternately and tied many times. After the opposite side also scored three points and Dees's three-point shot, the game between the two sides was still very close. In the game, Zhang Ziyu faced a stronger physical confrontation on the opposite side and enough size and footsteps under the basket to play a very sluggish game, and we were three points behind after the single quarter.
After the start of the second quarter, the Australian women's basketball team still maintained its hot form. Although we were able to chase down the margin to just one point, the opposite side hit an easy basket for a layup, and Chels hit both free throws and an easy jump shot to extend the lead to seven points after a mid-sea wave. Zhang Ziyu hit a rebound to score a difficult score for his team, but then Bobangi hit a three-pointer. The Australian women's basketball team completely opened up on the offensive end, and instantly extended its lead to double digits, leading by 14 points at one point. Zhang Zeyu scored 2+1 consecutive inside scores, and the women's basketball team played a wave of small climaxes, chasing the difference to only 7 points after halftime. Although Zhang Ziyu got a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds in the half, the offensive efficiency has declined significantly compared with before.
After the start of the third quarter of the game, the women's basketball team can be said to have found its state after adjustment, Zhang Ziyu scored under the basket continuously, and the defense was also good, and the Australian women's basketball team's offense stalled and was beaten with a wave of 13-4 to complete the score overtake. Crook cut to the basket, Zhang Ziyu scored 34 points under the basket, Williams hit a jumper, and the outside Dees three-point shot also began to recover in the Australian women's basketball team's offense, tying the score. Zhang Ziyu took the rest of the game, Australia seized the opportunity to hit the basket in a row, and led by 5 points again.
In the final quarter, Zhang Ziyu scored consecutive baskets to help the team bite the point difference, but it was difficult for the defensive end to limit the scoring of the opposite side, and he was still behind chasing points. Schaumfoy broke through and hit, and hit the inside line in a row to hit a wave of flow again, Li Yuwei hit a mid-range shot, and Zheng Xinru hit a three-point shot to chase 4 points, and there was still a chance. After several consecutive rounds without scoring, the difference was opened again. In the end, the women's basketball team still didn't take advantage of the opportunity and unfortunately lost the game.
It can be seen that the Chinese women's basketball team is still relatively difficult to play in this game, after all, the opposite side is the defending champion, they have stronger physical confrontation and footsteps under the basket, every player can impact the inside line of the Chinese women's basketball team, and constantly consume Zhang Ziyu at both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, suppressing the strong points of our inner line. With the whole team blossoming, they once extended their advantage to double digits. And the whole team also did a good job of rebounding, with 12 more rebounds than us at the end of the third quarter. On the women's basketball side, Zhang Ziyu helped the team with all his offensive shrinkage at both ends, and also got a big double-double, which once helped the team narrow the score gap and complete the score overtake, but in the end, without the support of teammates, the Chinese women's basketball team still failed to win the game, and lost the game by 17 points and missed the championship.
Chinese women's basketball statistics: Zhang Ziyu 42 points and 14 rebounds, Xu Fengwei 9 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists, Wang Jiaxin 6 points and 6 assists, Xu Peilin 4 points and 2 assists, Li Yuwei 6 points.