Dongguan moved one step closer to clinching the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) title after securing a 90-83 victory over reigning champions Sichuan on Tuesday.
Playing on Sichuan’s home court, Dongguan showcased a balanced offensive strategy, with five players scoring in double figures. Yang Shuyu led the team with 23 points, while teammates Yang Liwei and Aliyah Collier contributed 20 and 18 points respectively.
The game was tightly contested from the start. Both teams were tied at 24-24 after the first quarter and remained deadlocked at 44-44 by halftime. A buzzer-beating three-pointer by Yang Liwei gave Dongguan a slim one-point advantage entering the final quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Dongguan pulled ahead, outscoring Sichuan 20-14. Midway through the period, a layup by Yang Liwei extended their lead to 11 points. Dongguan’s solid defense in the closing minutes secured their victory.
“I just told my players to enjoy this stage and show their best, and they did, which made me quite proud,” said Dongguan’s coach-player Huang Sijing, who added 10 points. “Facing such a strong opponent as Sichuan, we need to go all out and learn from them. In the next game, they are set to make some adjustments, and we need to stick to what we did well.”
For Sichuan, Jonquel Jones was impressive, leading all scorers with 31 points on 13-of-17 shooting. Elizabeth Cambage and Li Meng each added 16 points. However, they were the only Sichuan players to reach double digits in scoring.
“One team looks like a team, and one team looks like individuals,” Jones remarked after the game. “The good thing about basketball and the series is that you have another game to fix it, to win, and to change the series.”
Sichuan’s coach Milos Paden acknowledged the team’s struggles in the final quarter. “We rushed, we panicked, and we worked for them,” he said.
Dongguan is now one win away from their first WCBA title in six years. Game 3 of the series will take place on Sichuan’s home court on Thursday.
