The Chinese women's basketball team has once again emerged victorious, defeating South Korea 91-69, and securing their second consecutive win in the Asian Cup. However, this triumph has been met with a surprising amount of criticism from fans, with many voicing their discontent online. What's behind this reaction? Former head coach Zheng Wei’s comment during her commentary on CCTV might have hit the nail on the head, providing insight into the underlying issue.
This game against South Korea was considered the real test for the Chinese team in this year’s Asian Cup. In their opening match against Indonesia, head coach Gong Luming had openly stated that the goal was to experiment and fine-tune the team. However, South Korea posed a different kind of challenge. Though the South Korean team is relatively young, with an average age of just 22, they are known for their \"quick and agile\" playing style, relying heavily on mid-to-long-range shooting and fast-paced offense and defense to gain an edge.
From the start, the Chinese team appeared somewhat sluggish. In the first half, their three-point shooting was inconsistent, failing to establish a rhythm. Despite the presence of towering players like Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu in the paint, the inability to find success from the perimeter only compounded the pressure on the inside. South Korea took full advantage, launching fast breaks and hitting three-pointers with remarkable accuracy, leaving the Chinese team scrambling to keep up.
Basketball commentator Su Qun pointed out that the most significant highlight of this game was the tactical adjustment made by Coach Gong in the second half. Gong boldly decided to play both Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu together, implementing the \"twin towers\" strategy. This move paid off as the score gap widened significantly. Both Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu scored 18 points each, bringing their combined total to 36 points. Zhang Ziyu even set a personal record for most points in an international senior-level competition. On paper, such a result seemed to indicate a solid performance.
However, the fans were not pleased. What was the reason for their dissatisfaction? By observing the finer details of the game, the answer becomes clear. Coach Gong had also experimented with a five-guard lineup, hoping to generate points through perimeter shooting and fast breaks. But when compared to South Korea’s style, the Chinese team’s offensive and scoring efficiency clearly lagged behind. Zhai Ruoyun, after entering the game, hardly saw any ball usage and only managed to hit a three-pointer towards the end. Pan Zhenqi played for only three minutes and scored just one point. Li Yuan, on the other hand, spent nearly 16 minutes on the court but failed to score and was the only player with a negative plus-minus of -1. Such performances understandably left fans frustrated.
The concern deepened when the twin towers strategy didn’t quite deliver as expected. Fans had hoped that Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu would dominate together, but in practice, the results were underwhelming. Particularly when both were on the court at the same time, South Korea’s outside shooting came alive, with successive three-pointers that closed the gap from an 18-point lead to just 11 points. Coach Gong was forced to call a timeout and substitute Zhang Ziyu. After the game, Gong admitted that the twin towers strategy had not fully played to its strengths.
It was at this moment that Zheng Wei’s commentary proved to be particularly insightful. As a former coach who led the Chinese women’s basketball team to glory, Zheng Wei’s deep understanding of the team allowed her to pinpoint the key issue. When asked about the team’s performance during halftime, she bluntly stated, \"The first half was a failure!\" Though a harsh assessment, her words struck directly at the heart of the matter.
Fans quickly rallied behind Zheng Wei’s perspective. One fan commented, \"Zheng is absolutely right, the first half was chaotic and lacked structure.\" Another joked, \"We won, but it’s hard to feel happy about it—how can we defend the title with a performance like this?\" Some fans expressed concern, asking, \"With our shooting struggles, how will we fare against Australia?\"
Speaking of the Australian women’s basketball team, they represent a formidable challenge. Australia has already reached the semifinals with a perfect 3-0 record, and their strength is undeniable. If China hopes to defend their title, they will have to face Australia sooner or later. If the Chinese team’s performance mirrors their first-half display against South Korea—lacking cohesion between the inside and outside games, and with erratic three-point shooting—the future could look bleak.
In reality, the Chinese women's basketball team is far from weak. Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu’s twin towers combination offers a significant height advantage, and with better perimeter coordination, they could be a force to be reckoned with. The young players bring plenty of energy, though they still need more time to gel as a team. Gong Luming’s tactical adjustments were on point, but the execution still leaves room for improvement.
Although the victory over South Korea exposed several weaknesses, this should not be seen as a negative. At least it provided the team with an opportunity to recognize and address their shortcomings. The upcoming matches will depend on whether the team can better integrate their inside and outside games, maintain consistency with their three-point shooting, and whether the role players can step up to share the scoring burden.
While Zheng Wei’s comments were sharp, they also reflected her hope and expectation for the Chinese women’s basketball team. Fans, despite their criticism, still hold high hopes for the team to go further in the Asian Cup. After all, the Chinese women’s basketball team has long been a source of national pride, and it’s only natural for fans to have high expectations.
Let’s hope that the Chinese team takes this game’s lessons to heart, addresses their weaknesses, and delivers a thrilling performance when they face off against the Australian women’s basketball team. By doing so, they can prove their worth and bring joy to the fans. Winning the game is important, but playing an aesthetically pleasing game with a high level of performance will surely satisfy everyone.
The future of the Chinese women’s basketball team is bright, and there is every reason to believe that they will continue to improve and achieve even greater success on the Asian and global stages.
