🔥🏀 In an electrifying showdown at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifying in Shenzhen, the Chinese mainland trounced Japan with a staggering 100-58 victory! This triumph secures China's place in the main draw of this summer's continental tournament early. 🌟
Japan, who had already locked in their spot after winning four qualifying games and previously defeating China 76-73 in February 2024, faced a tough challenge this time around. But the hosts were on fire from the start! 🇨🇳🏆
China's star players lit up the court with Zhu Junlong kicking things off with a slick layup, followed by Zhao Rui and Xu Jie adding consecutive points to build an impressive 8-0 lead. Zeng Fanbo’s three-pointer further extended their advantage to double digits by the second quarter. 🎯
Japan struggled to keep up with China's relentless defense, breaking their scoring drought only midway through the third quarter. The final quarter saw China pouring in a whopping 31 points, sealing their fourth straight victory. 🛡️🔥
Top scorers of the game were China's Hu Jinqiu and Japan's Ryusei Sasaki, each putting up 17 points. Zhao Rui also contributed significantly with 16 points. 🏅
Coach Guo Shiqiang shared his excitement, saying, \"Both teams gave the fans an exciting game. Our focus, defensive strategy, and fastbreaks were on point.\" 🙌
Earlier that day, Mongolia celebrated its first qualifying win by defeating Guam 74-63. Looking ahead, China is set to face Guam on Sunday, while Japan will go up against Mongolia. The 2025 FIBA Asia Cup is scheduled to take place from August 5-17 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 🌍✈️
Reference(s):
China cruises past Japan to secure qualification for FIBA Asia Cup
cgtn.com
