China's Route to the Semifinals
China used a balanced offense to overpower New Zealand 85-51 at the Shenzhen Sports Center, finishing Group A with a perfect 3-0 record. The reigning champions will face either Japan or New Zealand in Friday's semifinal.
Rising Stars and Tactical Tweaks
Coach Gong Luming, whose roster was assembled just three months ago, praised the team's early chemistry: 'We aimed to try different lineups through these group games. We hope that players can build better chemistry and become more familiar with our style of play.'
An early 14-2 run set the tone, and 18-year-old Zhang Ziyu made an immediate impact, drilling her first layup eight seconds after entering the game. China led by 15 at the end of the first quarter and extended the gap to 25 by halftime. All 12 players on China's roster scored, with Zhang and Yang Shuyu each notching 12 points.
South Korea's Strong Finish
Earlier, South Korea cruised past Indonesia 95-62 to secure second place in Group A. A trio of second-period three-pointers from Lee Myung-kwan and Shin Ji-hyun helped build a double-digit cushion. Guard Park Ji-hyun led all scorers with 18 points, while Shin added 15.
Indonesia, competing in Division A for the first time, trailed by just three after the first quarter but couldn’t keep pace as South Korea pulled away in the second half. Kim Pierre-Louis stood out for Indonesia with 16 points.
Reference(s):
China ease past New Zealand to reach FIBA Women's Asia Cup semifinals
cgtn.com
