The defending champions China relied on their towering duo to secure a dominant 91-69 victory over South Korea in Group B of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, on the Chinese mainland. Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu combined for 36 points, accounting for nearly 40% of China’s total, as the hosts stamped their authority early.
The game began as a test of patience for both squads. China struggled under the rim, squandering several high-percentage looks from Li Yuan, Luo Xinyu and Han Xu. South Korea also failed to convert wide-open chances, leaving the scoreboard blank for almost two minutes before Park Ji-hyun opened the scoring.
A pivotal shift came thanks to 23-year-old forward Luo Xinyu, who grabbed crucial offensive rebounds and threaded pinpoint passes to spark China’s offense. Eighteen-year-old Zhang Ziyu made her presence felt immediately after entering midway through the first quarter, dominating the paint despite South Korea’s efforts to exploit her mobility on attack. A buzzer-beater from An He-ji cut the deficit to three points at the end of the period, keeping the ROK in contention.
The second quarter saw a scare for South Korea when veteran center Park Ji-su suffered a shoulder injury while contesting Zhang. After receiving treatment on the bench, she returned for the second half, but the momentary disruption shifted momentum firmly to China.
From there, China pulled away. Han Xu’s post moves and midrange touch complemented Zhang Ziyu’s rim protection and second-chance points, enabling a 12-point lead at halftime. In the third quarter, China extended the gap with fast-paced offense and aggressive rebounding, leaving South Korea struggling to match the energy.
The 91-69 scoreline reflects China’s blend of youth and experience. As defending champions, their depth across multiple positions could become a decisive factor in the medal rounds. For a global audience tracking emerging talents, the performance of players like Zhang Ziyu and Luo Xinyu highlights a new generation making waves on the international stage.
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Double towers power China past South Korea at FIBA Women's Asia Cup
cgtn.com
