China's women's basketball team secured a commanding 85-51 victory over New Zealand on Wednesday, advancing to the FIBA Women's Asia Cup semifinals as Group A leaders. The reigning champions completed their group stage campaign with a flawless 3-0 record, showcasing their depth with all 12 players contributing points.
Strategic Growth Under New Formation
Head coach Gong Luming emphasized the team's development phase: "As our team was just formed three months ago, we aimed to try different lineups through these group games. We feel it has taken initial shape but needs fine-tuning." The squad's 18-year-old center Zhang Ziyu made an immediate impact, scoring within seconds of her first appearance during China's decisive 14-2 first-quarter run.
Game Highlights and Regional Rivalries
China maintained control throughout, building a 22-point lead by the second quarter. Meanwhile, South Korea secured second place in Group A with a 95-62 win against debutants Indonesia. While Indonesia showed early promise against the 12-time champions, South Korea's three-point shooting prowess sealed their victory.
The semifinal matchups will test China's evolving strategies against top regional competitors as they pursue their seventh Asia Cup title.
