Chinese Men's Basketball Team Stages Comeback Against Japan for First World Cup Qualifier Win, 25-9 Quarter Run, DNP Zhang Zhenlin Proves Crucial

On February 26th Beijing time, the third round of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers heated up as the Chinese Men's Basketball Team faced Japan on the road. After four quarters, China overcame a 15-point deficit to secure an 87-80 comeback victory against Japan, clinching their first win in a truly exhilarating fashion!

The Chinese team's World Cup qualifying campaign began with two losses to South Korea, where they were outperformed by the opponent's key player Lee Hyun-jung, resulting in two consecutive defeats and third place in the group standings. Japan, on the other hand, started strong with two wins over Chinese Taipei, topping the group ahead of South Korea. The Japanese team has improved significantly and is now even stronger than South Korea, making this victory a hard-fought one for China.

The game started with the home team Japan coming out strong, overwhelming China with a 21-11 first quarter. In the second quarter, China's offense improved, trading baskets with Japan, yet they still trailed by 14 points at halftime. After the break, China made a lineup change, benching Zhang Zhenlin, which had an immediate impact. The Chinese offense exploded, dominating the third quarter with a 25-9 run to take a 2-point lead. The final quarter saw a back-and-forth battle; after Japan tied the game at 68, China executed a series of inside-out plays to pull ahead. China maintained control, denying Japan any chance to close the gap. In the crucial moments, Hu Jinqiu's layup sealed the victory, followed by a defensive rebound to end the game, culminating in a major comeback win for China, marking their first World Cup qualifier victory and handing Japan their first loss.

Analyzing this match, despite the referees showing clear favoritism towards Japan, the Chinese team displayed tremendous grit, undeterred by the officiating. Although their shooting was cold in the first half, a critical adjustment at halftime enabled them to complete a stunning comeback with sheer performance. Indeed, the key turning point in this win was the decision to make Zhang Zhenlin a DNP (Did Not Play), as his performance was lacking on both ends of the court. Congratulations to the Chinese Men's Basketball Team for decisively dampening Japan's aggressive momentum!

By / Sports Story