Complete Collapse! China Men's Basketball Team Suffers Heavy Defeat to Japan in World Cup Qualifiers, Final Match Against Chinese Taipei Becomes a Do-or-Die Battle

On July 3 Beijing time, during the preliminary phase of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, China fell 73-92 to Japan. Currently in the group, Japan has already advanced with a 4-1 record, whereas China, Chinese Taipei, and South Korea each have a 2-3 record. In the last round, China will go head-to-head with Chinese Taipei in a must-win game to determine who advances.

For China, Hu Jinqiu scored 15 points, Liao Sanning added 14 points and 4 assists, He Xining contributed 12 points, and Yang Hansen recorded 9 points and 7 rebounds. For Japan, Josh Hawkinson had 27 points and 2 blocks, Yuta Watanabe scored 16, Ryusei Sasaki added 13, and Yudai Baba posted 9 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.

In the first quarter, Hu Jinqiu hit a jumper from the free-throw line, and He Xining knocked down a three-pointer, tying the game at 5-5. Li Hongquan opened fire from beyond the arc, while Hu Jinqiu and Yang Hansen repeatedly attacked the basket, helping China maintain a 15-12 lead. However, Yang Hansen then ran into foul trouble—he fouled a shooter on a three-point attempt, giving Japan three free throws, and later was called for an offensive foul. China's offense stalled, allowing Japan to take a 22-21 lead at the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter, Hu Jinqiu scored on a hook shot in the paint, He Xining hit a jumper, and Hu Jinqiu added another inside basket to keep China close. But then Japan went on a hot streak, combining inside and outside scoring to unleash a 14-1 run, extending their lead to 46-33. He Xining fought back with five straight points on drives and a three-pointer, helping China cut the deficit. At halftime, Japan led 50-40.

In the third quarter, Hu Jinqiu continued to be effective in the paint, but as China tried to mount a comeback, Yang Hansen picked up his third foul and fell into foul trouble. Throughout the quarter, China remained at a disadvantage, losing the period 19-24. After three quarters, China trailed 59-74.

In the fourth quarter, Japan opened with an 8-0 run, extending their lead to 19 points and putting China in a desperate situation. From that point on, China was unable to recover and ultimately tasted the bitterness of defeat.

Starting Lineups

China: Zhao Jiwei, He Xining, Zhu Junlong, Wang Junjie, Hu Jinqiu

Japan: Takuya Saito, Yuta Watanabe, Yudai Baba, Yudai Nishida, Josh Hawkinson

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