China’s women’s basketball team delivered a commanding performance, defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 101-55 in a warm-up match on Friday in Linyi City, eastern China.
Head coach Gong Luming, returning to lead the team after two decades, guided the new squad in their first international warm-up ahead of the Asia Cup. The team plans to participate in six warm-up matches to test training progress, experiment with lineups, and assess player conditions.
China took an early lead, finishing the first quarter ahead 20-7. Sharpshooters Yang Shuyu and Zhai Ruoyun extended the margin with successful three-pointers, pushing the lead beyond 20 points by halftime.
Despite both teams showing offensive efficiency in the second half, Bosnia and Herzegovina couldn’t close the gap, and China secured an easy victory.
Standout performances came from Han Xu, Luo Xinyu, and 18-year-old Zhang Ziyu, all scoring in double digits. Zhang led the team with 18 points and 7 rebounds in her first international game as a senior team member.
“Zhang Ziyu’s performance was impressive,” said Han Xu after the game. “This is her first time playing at the international level with the senior team, and I’m looking forward to more collaborations with her.”
Coach Gong emphasized the importance of these warm-up matches. “We will bring 15 or 16 players to these games and then select our Asia Cup squad based on form, team spirit, and execution ability,” he stated.
