China's men's basketball team reignited hopes for a strong FIBA Asia Cup campaign with a decisive 77-49 victory over Venezuela in Hangzhou on Thursday. The win marked their first triumph against the South American squad since 2007, breaking a five-game losing streak that had persisted for nearly two decades.
The game began as a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to find rhythm in the first quarter. A buzzer-beating three-pointer from Cheng Shuaipeng gave China an 18-13 lead that would only grow. By halftime, dominant performances from Zhao Rui (14 points) and Hu Jinqiu (12 points) stretched the advantage to 37-22.
"Our players showed tremendous focus in executing both offensive and defensive strategies," said team staffer Li Wei during post-game interviews. The third quarter saw China's shooters catch fire, unleashing a 14-0 run fueled by three-pointers from four different players.
With four Chinese players scoring in double digits before the final quarter, coaches utilized the last five minutes to test bench rotations. Both teams will meet again Friday night before China faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in Nanjing for additional warm-up matches.
The FIBA Asia Cup, starting August 5 in Jeddah, will see China compete in Group C against Jordan, India, and host nation Saudi Arabia. Today's performance suggests improved coordination for a team aiming to improve upon their 2017 quarterfinal finish.
