In a thrilling WCBA Finals showdown in Chengdu, Sichuan surged to a 96-77 victory over Dongguan, keeping their title defense dreams alive. The home court in southwest China's Sichuan Province buzzed with energy as Sichuan set an early tone with a 19-2 run that paved the way for a 23-point lead by halftime.
Standout performances lit up the floor: Li Meng topped the scoreboard with 24 points, while Jonquel Jones added a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Key contributions from Elizabeth Cambage and Gao Song, who scored 17 and 16 points respectively, underscored the team's offensive prowess.
Coach Milos Paden reflected on the performance, stating, "Tonight we finally played as we played the whole season. We played defense, we played in transition that we did the best the whole season, and how we scored the most points." In a bid to refresh the squad after consecutive losses, Paden made pivotal lineup adjustments by starting Gao, Jia Saiqi, and Zhang Manman, infusing new energy into the team.
Despite Dongguan's efforts, including a resilient 12-0 run in the third quarter that trimmed the deficit, Sichuan maintained control. A decisive 9-0 run in the final minutes, powered by consecutive baskets from Li and Jones, sealed the win. Dongguan’s efforts, spearheaded by Aliyah Collier with 21 points, weren't enough to overturn the home court dominance.
With the series now poised for a dramatic turnaround, Sichuan looks ahead with optimism. The upcoming game in Dongguan promises more intense battles as both teams gear up for what could be a defining contest in the WCBA Finals.
Reference(s):
Sichuan beat Dongguan in Game 3 of WCBA Finals, keep series alive
cgtn.com
