Screenshot of the match.
Beijing, August 8 (Reporter Li He) In the early morning of the 6th, Beijing time, the Chinese men's basketball team faced the Italian men's basketball team in the final of the 6 Trentino Cup. Li Kyle, who had just been selected for the Chinese men's basketball team, made his national team debut after obtaining Chinese nationality.
In the end, the Chinese men's basketball team lost to the opponent by 61:79, and did not win three consecutive victories in the warm-up game.
Li Kyle came off the bench late in the second quarter, and then he took Wang Zhelin with an assist layup to complete his first score. Before the end of the first half, Li Kyle broke through for a layup and hit a whistle, and the Chinese men's basketball team trailed Italy by 31 points 42:11 into halftime.
Yibian fought again, and Li Kyle started the game in the second half. However, Chinese men's basketball coach Jordjevic was sent off shortly after the opening of the second half for his second technical foul of the game. In the second half of the game, the gap was stretched to more than 20 points. Li Kyle was also whistled for a foul in the defense of the final quarter for pulling people.
In the end, the Chinese men's basketball team lost to the opponent by a big score, and failed to continue the momentum of the recent winning streak. In the whole game, substitute Li Kyle scored 11 points.
Image source: Li Kyle's personal social media
Li Kyle's Chinese men's basketball debut came sooner than expected.
It was previously reported that Li Kyle will make his debut for the Chinese men's basketball team in the "International Solidarity Cup" competition held in Shenzhen at the end of August. But he doesn't seem to want to wait that long .
Li Kyle once said: "My ancestors grew up in China, grew up in China, there is such a special opportunity, I must seize the opportunity to play for the Chinese men's basketball team." At that time, Li Kaier, who had just obtained Chinese nationality, said that he was very eager to meet his teammates as soon as possible, establish contact with them, and deepen their understanding.
According to the news previously released by the Chinese Basketball Association, Li Kaier left for Slovenia from Shanghai on July 7, Beijing time, to meet the Chinese men's basketball team that is training there.
Image source: China Basketball Team Weibo
At this time, it was only two days after the Chinese Basketball Association announced that Li Kaier had obtained Chinese nationality and became the first naturalized player in the history of the Chinese men's basketball team. Li Kaier also announced through his personal social media that he would "represent the Chinese men's basketball team in the World Cup".
On July 7, Beijing time, Li Kyle posted a photo of training with the Chinese men's basketball team on his personal social media.
And this debut was also in the early morning of the 5th, Beijing time, after the warm-up game between the Chinese men's basketball team and Cape Verde, Li Kyle "self-announced".
"I'm going to play in the next game. When I joined the big family of the Chinese men's basketball team, the whole team treated me very well, and they all welcomed me with open arms, which helped me integrate into the team faster. I can focus on the basketball game. In the early morning of the 5th, Beijing time, after the Chinese men's basketball team defeated Cape Verde in the first game of the 2023 Trentino Cup, Li Kyle said in front of the interview camera.
Image source: China Basketball Team Weibo
Since going to Slovenia in early July to start European training, the Chinese men's basketball team has played many warm-up games. After losing to Croatia and Slovenia in a row, the Chinese men's basketball team recently defeated Egypt and Cape Verde to win two consecutive warm-up matches.
Against Italy, Li Kyle did not appear in the starting line-up. It wasn't until the end of the second quarter that Lee Kyle finally came off the bench.
Li Kyle, who has been training with his teammates for a week, quickly received Wang Zhelin to assist the layup after he appeared, showing tacit understanding. Later, he singled out a few more times to create a threat, and several times he handled the ball to great effect. Throughout the game, Lee Kyle played 19 minutes and 31 seconds, shooting 6 of 3 and 6 of 5 free throws, scoring 11 points and 6 rebounds.
Image source: Li Kyle's personal social media
In terms of individual performance, Li Kyle's debut has shown personal ability. But the Chinese men's basketball team obviously needs more than that, and Li Kaier can do more than that. And Li Kyle, who was sentenced to a physical foul for defending and pulling people in the game, also needs to be more familiar with the rhythm and rules of the international arena through the game.
It is foreseeable that after completing his debut, Li Kyle, who is still getting to know each other with his teammates and coaches, will gradually take on heavier and heavier tasks in the next games and play more and more important roles.
Image source: China Basketball Team Weibo
According to the previous arrangement, the Chinese men's basketball team will return to China from overseas training in mid-August, and after the final warm-up, depart for the Philippines to participate in the men's basketball World Cup, which will open on August 8, and the team aims to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games at the World Cup. (End)