News Analysis: China's three-person women's basketball team breaks through like this
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 10th News Analysis: China's three-person women's basketball team made such a breakthrough
Xinhua News Agency reporters Su Bin and Zheng Zhi
When the final whistle blew, the four members of the Chinese three-person women's basketball team hugged each other to celebrate the first Asian Cup championship of China's three-person basketball team.
From ranking third in 2017, winning the runner-up in 2018, and now reaching the top, the Chinese three-person women's basketball team finally pierced the window paper.
From last year's Tokyo Olympics to last month's World Cup, to the Asian Cup held in Singapore this time, Wang Lili, Zhang Zhiting and Wan Jiyuan formed the "iron triangle" of China's three women's basketball team.
Before the Asian Cup, the Chinese team replaced Cao Junwei and Wan Jiyuan with Huang Kun and Luo Xinyi when they initially declared the list, and then re-listed Wan Jiyuan before the match.
Head coach Xu Jiamin explained that the main consideration is the problem of team running-in.
"When two players are adjusted in the list of four players, the overall play system of the team will change greatly, and it will take more time to run in. This risk is still relatively large before the competition, especially the Asian Cup. We still hope to use the best overall strength and the best state to hit the best results, and go all out to hit the championship." Xu Jiamin said.
At the moment of winning the championship, Wang Lili threw the ball into the air and cheered loudly.
At the age of 29, she is the core of China's three-person women's basketball team, and she shoots and passes the ball just right.
In the group match against the Australian team, Wang Lili attacked the opponent's defense line again and again, and the defensive end frequently sent blocks. This performance made the FIBA official website article call Wang Lili a "nightmare" for the opponent.
Entering the knockout round, the Chinese team had an advantage in height when facing the Thai team and the Japanese team. Wang Lili could always deliver the ball to center Zhang Zhiting in a timely manner and easily complete the attack.
The most valuable player of the tournament is the best compliment to the veteran.
Zhang Zhiting is the backbone of the Chinese team. With a height of 1.95 meters, she made full use of the advantages of the basket and became the scoring champion of the team in this competition. She also made great contributions to protecting rebounds.
"This time it's a brand new team. In any brand new arena, we have to do our best to get what we want." Zhang Zhiting said after winning the championship.
Wan Jiyuan has grown rapidly after the Tokyo Olympics and the World Cup, and together with Zhang Zhiting, they have formed an interior barrier for the Chinese team.
The Asian Cup champion will inject more confidence into her, who is approaching her 20th birthday.
Huang Kun is a newcomer to the national team, and although she is sometimes troubled by fouls, she can also come forward at critical moments.
Facing the high-intensity defense of the Australian team in the final, Huang Kun used a jumper and two long shots to open up the situation for the Chinese team. The fans exclaimed that she is a "finalist, the more nervous the stronger."
Since winning the Asian Games in 2018, China's three-person women's basketball team has achieved consecutive successes in international and intercontinental competitions in the past four years.
Entering the Paris Olympic cycle, they have won the third place in the World Cup and the Asian Cup in a row.
Zhang Zhiting said: "The honors of the past few years have passed. Starting this year, we are brand new and will fight for our dreams again." Share the glory, take the dream as the horse, and run to the next goal.