China Advances to FIBA Asia Cup Semifinals After Victory Over South Korea

China secured a hard-fought victory over South Korea with a final score of 79-71 on Thursday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This win earned them a spot in the FIBA Asia Cup semifinals, marking their first appearance in the final four of the tournament in ten years.

Hu Jinqiu was named Player of the Game, leading the team with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Wang Junjie also played a significant role, contributing a tournament-high 21 points, with a strong performance in the first half. Former national team player Ding Yanyuhang, commenting on Wang's performance, praised his impact on the game.

The victory improved China's historical record against Korea to 17-4. After the game, Hu expressed satisfaction with reaching the semifinals and emphasized the team's focus on defense and their determination to achieve more.

China's strategy focused on controlling the paint, securing 20 offensive rebounds, and converting those extra possessions into points. Their patient offense exploited Korea's aggressive defensive approach, and their frontline capitalized on opportunities near the basket. Defensively, China's switching scheme effectively limited Korea's three-point shooting, holding them to a low percentage from beyond the arc.

However, China's physicality resulted in 21 fouls, leading to 26 free-throw attempts for Korea. Despite this, the team maintained composure, with Hu emphasizing their focus on winning. The second quarter saw China take control, outscoring Korea and extending their lead. Although Korea attempted a late comeback, Liao Sanning's crucial shot and Captain Zhao Rui's clock management secured the win.

Despite the victory, China's perimeter offense, particularly the shooting performance of their guards, raised concerns for the coaching staff. China will now face the winner of the New Zealand-Lebanon quarterfinal in the semifinals. Wang expressed the team's ambition to compete for the championship.