Sichuan pulled off a resounding 96-77 victory over Dongguan in Game 3 of the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) Finals on Thursday. Playing on their home court in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, the defending champions narrowed Dongguan’s lead to 2-1 in the best-of-five series, keeping their championship dreams alive.
Sichuan surged ahead with a dominant first half, launching into a 19-2 run early in the game and leading by 23 points at halftime. Despite a spirited comeback attempt by Dongguan in the second half, Sichuan held firm to secure the win.
“Tonight we finally played as we have throughout the season,” said Sichuan’s coach Milos Paden. “We played defense, we played in transition, and we scored the most points.”
In a strategic move, Sichuan made changes to their lineup, with Gao Song, Jia Saiqi, and Zhang Manman stepping in as starters. “We wanted to refresh the team and give new energy,” Paden explained.
Star player Li Meng led the charge with a game-high 24 points. Teammates Jonquel Jones added 22 points and 11 rebounds, Elizabeth Cambage contributed 17 points, and Gao Song scored 16 points.
The game began with Jia Saiqi scoring a quick layup, followed by a response from Dongguan’s Yang Liwei. Sichuan then unleashed a 17-0 run, closing the first quarter with a 32-18 lead. They maintained their momentum into the second quarter, extending their advantage to 24 points.
Dongguan fought back in the third quarter with a 12-0 run, reducing the deficit to 11 points by the end of the period. Early in the fourth quarter, Yang Liwei’s layup brought Dongguan within single digits. However, Sichuan answered with key baskets from Li Meng and Jonquel Jones, securing their lead and ultimately the victory.
“So far we have showcased what we have,” said Dongguan’s coach-player Huang Sijing. “The series is not over, and hopefully we can put on a more excellent game on our home court.”
Aliyah Collier led Dongguan with 21 points, while Yang Shuyu and Yang Liwei added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Looking ahead to Game 4, which will be hosted by Dongguan on Sunday, Coach Paden remains hopeful. “It will be hard to play there. But if we play like this, with good energy and heart, I believe we can bring the fifth game back here,” he said.
