In a commanding performance, China defeated Japan 100-58 in the group stage of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers held in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, on Thursday. This decisive victory ensures China’s advancement to the main draw of the upcoming continental tournament set to take place this summer.
Japan had initially secured their place in the Asia Cup’s main draw by winning four qualifying games and had previously edged out China 76-73 in their February 2024 encounter. However, the rematch saw a different outcome as the hosts dominated from the outset.
China started strong with Zhu Junlong opening the scoring with a layup, followed by Zhao Rui and Xu Jie adding consecutive baskets to establish an 8-0 lead. Zeng Fanbo’s three-pointer further extended the advantage to double digits in the second quarter. Japan struggled against China’s stringent defense, managing to break a prolonged scoring drought only midway through the third quarter.
The host team maintained their momentum, scoring 31 points in the final quarter to secure their fourth victory in the qualifiers. Hu Jinqiu of China and Ryusei Sasaki of Japan both led their teams with 17 points each, while Zhao Rui added 16 points for China.
China’s coach, Guo Shiqiang, praised his team’s performance, stating, \"Both teams gave the fans an exciting game. Our focus, defensive strategy, and fastbreaks were on point.\"
Earlier in the day, Mongolia achieved its first qualifying win in Group C by defeating Guam 74-63. Looking ahead, China is set to face Guam on Sunday, while Japan will take on Mongolia. The 2025 FIBA Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from August 5-17 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Reference(s):
China cruises past Japan to secure qualification for FIBA Asia Cup
cgtn.com
