Live now! Can the Chinese men's basketball team win tonight's away game against Japan? CCTV5 is broadcasting!

On February 26th Beijing time, the Asian qualifiers for the Men's Basketball World Cup commence. A major battle awaits at 18:05 tonight as the Chinese men's basketball team takes on the strong Japanese team away from home. We are under tremendous pressure, and winning is not guaranteed. The game is being streamed live now, and we hope the Chinese team gives it their all in a do-or-die effort!

Before the match, let's review the group standings. Japan and South Korea lead with two consecutive wins, while the Chinese team and Chinese Taipei are both ranked third and fourth after two losses. According to the rules, the top three teams in the group advance to the next stage, so our pressure isn't too high—as long as we don't lose to Chinese Taipei in the remaining games!

The Chinese men's basketball team was once the undisputed champion of Asia, but its strength has declined significantly in recent years, even failing to secure Olympic qualification. In the current World Cup qualifiers, the team has already suffered two consecutive losses against South Korea. The player selections made by coach Guo Shiqiang in those games were heavily questioned. Our guards' ball-handling was poor, completely unable to contain the opponent's offense, and we were thoroughly outplayed by Lee Hyun-joong, who isn't even an NBA player. This clearly shows our current level is lacking!

Facing an even stronger Japanese team this round, the pressure to win is enormous. Although Japan is not using their naturalized star Joshua Hawkinson, they have two formidable players in Yuta Watanabe and Yudai Baba. Especially Watanabe, who has the capability of an NBA rotation player, is exceptionally strong. How we contain him is of utmost importance!

Therefore, the pressure to win this game is very high. When paths cross, the brave prevail. The match has already started—let's all cheer for the Chinese men's basketball team! Go, go, go!

By / Sports Story