The Chinese national basketball team concluded its participation in the International Solidarity Tournament in Haizhou, Hainan Province, China, remaining undefeated. The victory over Cameroon with a score of 90-82 took place on Monday, marking the team's third consecutive win after previous triumphs over Georgia and Cameroon.
Match Statistics
In the home team, Xiao Xinin was the top scorer, netting 25 points. Zhao Jiayai continued his impressive streak by scoring 21 points from five three-point attempts. Jiao Bociao dominated under the basket, providing 17 points and eight rebounds, while Pan Zhenlin added 12 points in this successful match.
On the Cameroonian side, John Tongje scored the most points with 28 points, while Russell Cheva contributed 17 points. Despite the African team keeping the score close for a long time, they were unable to slow down the balanced attack of the Chinese team in the final stages of the game.
Preparation for Future Competitions
This tournament provided coach Guo Shicen with an opportunity to rotate the squad and strengthen team chemistry ahead of upcoming international competitions. Several young players demonstrated strong results, opening up prospects for them to take on more significant roles in the future.
Sia Liunwei, who scored five points in his debut match for the starting lineup, noted the constant support from the coaching staff and experienced teammates. The twenty-two-year-old player mentioned that Xiao Xinin, the MVP of the Chinese Basketball Association last season, advised him before the game to 'play freely and do what you do best,' and this advice helped the young guard debut confidently on the international stage.
Team's Next Plans
China will continue its preparation for the second round of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers by playing three more friendly matches in Foshan in mid-August against Uruguay and New Zealand. Following this, participation in the qualifying campaign is scheduled: the team will visit Doha to face Qatar on August 27, and then host Lebanon in Zhuji, Zhejiang Province, on August 31.
