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Editor/Shanshan Chat Entertainment
Preface
This 2024 U18 Women's Basketball Asian Cup final is indeed an eye-catching game. Zhang Ziyu showed amazing individual ability in the game, scoring 42 points and 14 rebounds, and was undoubtedly the focus of the game. However, in the end, the Chinese women's basketball team lost to the Australian team 79-96 and failed to win the championship. This game is not only a demonstration of Zhang Ziyu's individual ability, but more importantly, it highlights the crucial importance of teamwork in the game of basketball.
The Chinese women's basketball team lost to Australia
The match was held in Shenzhen, China, and the Chinese team played with home advantage to win the championship on home soil. Both teams performed well in the group stage, successfully advancing to the semi-finals. Australia opened the game with a jump ball advantage and took the advantage of a first-hand attack. China's Zhang Ziyu struggled at first against the tough defense of the Australian players, but then recovered and played an important role in the game.
This U18 women's basketball game was dizzying. The Chinese team was beaten 2-0 in the first quarter by Australia, and Coach Wang Guizhi had to ask for a timeout, while Zhang Ziyu faced strict restrictions, scoring only 5 points, and the free throws were inaccurate. At the end of the first quarter, the Chinese team fell behind 19:22, and Zhang Ziyu's performance hit a low point. Entering the second quarter, Australia extended its lead to 27:35, and the Chinese team asked for a timeout again. They trailed by 14 points at 42:49 before halftime, but then trailed by just seven points.
As the third quarter progressed, the Chinese team finally managed to overtake the score with 4 minutes left in the game and took the lead for the first time. But at the end of the third quarter, they again trailed by five points at 63:68. Zhang Ziyu has accumulated 36 points and 10 rebounds by this time, and her performance on the court is impressive. Entering the final quarter, when the Chinese team fell behind 67:72, Zhang Ziyu failed to attack once, and Coach Wang Guizhi chose to pause to adjust the rhythm. In the end, Australia led by 9 points at 85:76, and after Zhang Ziyu went off the break, the Chinese team failed to turn the situation around.
In the final moments of the game, Coach Wang Guizhi decided not to send Zhang Ziyu again, which seemed to herald the end of the game. The final quarter was lost 16-28, and the Chinese team lost to Australia 79-96. Zhang Ziyu burst into excellent form at the end of the second quarter, scoring 19 points alone, including 10 points in a row at one point, to help the Chinese team narrow the score gap. But Australia ended the first half with a 49-42 lead. Zhang Ziyu scored 17 points in a single quarter, and the Chinese team overtook the score. Australia led 68-63 heading into the fourth quarter.
Although Zhang Ziyu contributed four points at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Australia maintained the lead and eventually defeated China with a score of 96-79 to claim the championship. Overall, despite Zhang's individual performance, the Chinese team was unable to effectively stop the Australian team's attack in the overall game, resulting in the final runner-up.
Zhang Ziyu fought alone, the reason for the failure of the Chinese women's basketball team
Zhang Ziyu scored 42 points in the game, but finally lost with a score of 79-96 and missed the championship. Zhang Ziyu's individual performance became the focus of the court, and her superb shooting skills and fearless attacking attitude were almost the entire source of the Chinese team's offensive firepower.
The Australian team has shown strong integrity and stability, and through precise tactical deployment and tacit cooperation, it has an advantage in terms of technical level and psychological quality. Their team spirit not only helped them win the competition, but also demonstrated the key factors in the long-term competition. On the basketball court, individual abilities and teamwork complement each other. Zhang Ziyu's individual ability is undoubtedly a big advantage for the Chinese team, but she needs the support of more teammates to cope with the pressure and challenges of the game.
This game exposed the shortcomings of the Chinese women's basketball team on the overall coordination and defensive end. Except for Zhang Ziyu, the scoring ability of other players did not meet the expected level, especially in rebounding and defense, and the Chinese team was obviously at a disadvantage and failed to effectively control the pace and situation of the game. The mentality of the Chinese team at key moments also affected the overall performance, making it difficult for them to effectively deal with the opponent's attacks and counter-attacks, and missed multiple chances to equalize.
In contrast, the Australian team excelled in teamwork and communication, showing efficient cooperation and decision-making skills both defensively and offensively. At the critical moment, the personal operation and unreasonable shots of some players became a stumbling block to the team's progress, which directly damaged Zhang Ziyu's efforts in the game. Coach Wang Guizhi needs to think deeply about how to better unite and train the team to meet the challenges of the future.
Talented player
Zhang Ziyu comes from a basketball family and enjoys excellent genetics and talent. Her parents were professional basketball players, and her father Zhang Lei was a former men's basketball player of the Jinan Military Region, with a height of 2.13 meters; 's mother, Yu Ying, is the main center of the Shandong women's basketball team, with a height of 1.98 meters. Therefore, daily necessities such as desks and beds need to be customized.
In the youth competition, Zhang Ziyu performed well on behalf of the Shandong youth team and showed excellent basketball talent. Despite this talent, she has always maintained a humble and friendly personality. One teammate said: "She is very polite and friendly, and the team likes her. "Mother Yu Ying is very wise about her daughter's basketball training, supporting her to train in her spare time, but also emphasizing that she should not neglect her studies.
Zhang Ziyu led the Shandong team to win the Hunan team in the CYBL U17 women's basketball semifinals. She played 26 minutes and shot 19-of-19 from the field to add 38 points, 17 rebounds and two blocks. In the final, he helped the Shandong team defeat the Zhejiang team and won the championship. She was named the Most Valuable Player in the Top 16 Finals of the National U17 Junior Basketball League Women's Tournament with her outstanding performance.
In July 2021, Zhang Ziyu had an amazing performance in the finals of the women's division of the National U15 Basketball League, scoring 42 points, grabbing 25 rebounds and dishing out 6 blocks to help the Shandong East Kings win the championship. On August 22, 2022, although Zhang Ziyu scored 68 points in the women's basketball final of the Shandong Provincial Games, the Jinan team she played for lost to the Zibo team 90-91 and missed the championship.
conclusion
In the women's basketball U18 Asian Cup, Zhang Ziyu's amazing performance became the focus. She scored 42 points in the final, showing unparalleled individual ability and leadership for the Chinese team. The victory in this game was not only a technical and physical victory, but also a combination of teamwork and individual fighting spirit. The Australian team won the championship with their overall strength and excellent tactical set-up, a result that showcases their long-standing strength in junior women's basketball.