China’s basketball team had an amazing game! They beat Japan 100-58 in a big match on Thursday in Shenzhen, a city in southern China. This win means they have qualified for the FIBA Asia Cup, which is a huge basketball tournament happening this summer.
In their last game against Japan in February 2024, China lost by just three points, 76-73. But this time, they came back strong! From the very beginning, China took the lead. Zhu Junlong scored the first basket with a layup (that’s when a player shoots the ball close to the basket). Then Zhao Rui and Xu Jie scored more points, making it 8-0!
Zeng Fanbo hit a three-pointer (a shot made from beyond the three-point line) in the second quarter, helping China’s lead grow even bigger. Japan tried hard, but China’s tough defense made it difficult for them to score. China scored a whopping 31 points in the final quarter!
Hu Jinqiu from China and Ryusei Sasaki from Japan both scored 17 points, which was the highest in the game. Zhao Rui added 16 points for China too.
China’s coach, Guo Shiqiang, said, “Both teams gave the fans an exciting game. Our focus, defensive strategy, and fast breaks were on point.” A fast break is when a team quickly moves the ball up the court to score before the other team can set up their defense.
In another game, Mongolia won their first game in Group C, beating Guam 74-63.
China’s next game is against Guam on Sunday, and Japan will play against Mongolia.
The 2025 FIBA Asia Cup will take place from August 5-17 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It’s going to be an exciting tournament!
Reference(s):
China cruises past Japan to secure qualification for FIBA Asia Cup
cgtn.com
