China News Service, Beijing, April 6 (Reporter Liu Xingchen) On the evening of the 5th, Beijing time, the Chinese U17 men's basketball team lost 71:100 to the Czech U18 men's basketball team, ending the 2024 Mannheim Invitational Tournament with a record of 1 win and 5 losses. , ultimately ranked 10th among the 12 participating teams. Although they failed to win more victories, the team's overseas trip was by no means without gains.
Image source: China Basketball Team Weibo
In the 2023 FIBA U16 Men's Basketball Asian Championship, the Chinese U16 Men's Basketball Team won the bronze medal and qualified for the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. In March this year, the U17 World Cup draw results were released. The Chinese team was placed in Group B with the U.S. U17 men's basketball team, France U17 men's basketball team and Guinea U17 men's basketball team. The event will be held in Istanbul, Turkey from June 29th to July 7th.
It is reported that there are 16 teams participating in the U17 World Cup. The group stage results are only used for ranking. All 16 teams will enter the knockout stage. Considering the strength of the opponent, the Chinese U17 men's basketball team will face great challenges.
Image source: China Basketball Team Weibo
It is precisely in order to better prepare for the U17 World Cup that the Chinese U17 Men's Basketball Team chose to compete in the 2024 Mannheim Invitational Tournament. The Chinese team is divided into Group B, and its opponents in the same group are Greece, Italy, Serbia, Egypt, and Germany.
Facing the German team in the final game of the group stage, the Chinese team, which suffered four consecutive defeats, won its first victory in the tournament. After being beaten by their opponents at a 20:5 start, the boys, who had no way out, acted more resolutely and narrowed the point difference through three-point shooting. At the last moment, Zhang Boyuan broke through for a layup from the left and caused a foul. He made two free throws to help the Chinese team complete the victory.
Image source: China Basketball Team Weibo
The qualifying match against the Czech team is the last battle of the Chinese U17 men's basketball team in this competition. The Chinese team had a slow start and was beaten inside by its opponents to score points. At the end of the first quarter, the Chinese U17 men's basketball team fell behind at 18:30. After that, the opponent hit consecutive three-pointers to further expand the lead.
Because the Czech team is taller, the Chinese team is at a disadvantage in the interior competition. Changing sides to fight again, the Chinese U17 men's basketball team resorted to a full-court press defense, and the offensive end mobilized the defense by passing the ball from the strong and weak sides. But after that, the Chinese team failed to hit a continuous offensive climax and had no choice but to lose.
From the analysis of the six games, facing the world's top teams, the Chinese U17 men's basketball team showed a relatively outstanding mental outlook most of the time. The players dared to use personal technical moves under fierce defense, and repeatedly caused opponents to make mistakes through multi-person attacks and assisting defense.
In addition, when faced with the opponent's shrinking defense, the Chinese team's shooting percentage from beyond the three-point line is relatively impressive, which to some extent reflects the level of team training. As the game progresses, the Chinese team's tactical understanding also improves.
But at the same time, the Chinese U17 men's basketball team also exposed corresponding problems.
His finishing ability at the basket needs to be improved. When facing the Serbian team, the Chinese team caused their opponents to make mistakes through sudden attacks, but failed to convert the round advantage into points. Scenes like this happen from time to time during games.
Image source: Chinese Basketball Association
Counterattack hit rate is low. When encountering a situation where more players are playing against fewer players, the team needs to learn how to distribute the ball more reasonably.
Lack of ability to protect the basket. Opponents scored points by attacking the basket or making secondary attacks many times during the game, and the Chinese team obviously failed to respond in this regard.
Zhang Boyuan is the best player in the Chinese team this time: against Italy, he hit 5 three-pointers and scored 27 points; against Egypt, he scored a game-high 32 points; against Germany, he scored He scored a double-double with 28 points and 10 rebounds, and hit key free throws to lead the team to victory. In addition, Fu Wenhao, Feng Yubo, Feng Xirui and others also scored in double figures in some games.
The Chinese team faced many difficulties when participating in the Mannheim Invitational. In addition to injuries, some players were unable to travel with the team because they were studying abroad to prepare for domestic U-series events. Although they failed to win more victories, the team's training goal has been achieved.
Chinese U17 men's basketball team photo. Image source: Chinese Basketball Association
Zhang Bin, director of youth training of the Chinese Basketball Association, said that the current Chinese U17 men's basketball team is relatively young, with 5 players participating in the U16 Men's Basketball Asian Championships, and the remaining 7 are new additions this year.
"We hope that through the competition, young players and teams can better understand the world's top teams, discover their own shortcomings, and find ways to improve."
Before the game, Li Xiaoyong, head coach of China's U17 men's basketball team, said that the Mannheim Invitational Tournament would allow the team to learn the world's advanced basketball playing methods. "The Egyptian team was the runner-up in the non-youth championship last year, and teams such as Greece are also traditional strong teams in the European Youth Championship. We hope to understand the gap and make up for our own shortcomings through discussions with strong teams."
Zhang Boyuan also said before the game that he felt the gap between himself and the world-class level in the U16 Asian Cup, and hoped to seize the opportunity to compete, communicate and learn with the world's highest-level athletes of the same age.
Yao Ming, Chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association. (File photo) Photo by China News Service reporter Yin Liqin
As the whole team said, the team is more afraid of playing behind closed doors than losing the game. Playing against high-level teams and improving international competition experience are the only way for these young people to grow.
In a previous interview, Yao Ming, chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association, also talked about this: players need to experience overseas experience.
Last summer, the Chinese men's basketball team suffered a double blow from the World Cup and the Asian Games. Missing the Paris Olympics left the team without formal international competitions for a long time to come. The long-term lack of opportunities to compete with the world's top teams has caused Chinese basketball to drift further and further away from the development trend of world basketball.
Chinese male basketball players greet the audience. (File photo) Photo by Shi Chunyang, China News Service
"This is a process of experience and accumulation. These children need more overseas experience." Yao Ming said this about the young people in the Chinese men's basketball team. He believes that young people must dare to make mistakes. "If you don't even dare to make mistakes, there is no hope."
Get out of your comfort zone and struggle against strong teams. This is crucial for the Chinese men's basketball team to climb up from the trough.
Only by enduring pain to grow and sharpening the determination to face difficulties can you touch the joy of victory. Summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of this competition and then using strengths and avoiding weaknesses is the main topic for the Chinese U17 men's basketball team in the next two months. (over)