A narrow escape! Hu Jinqiu scored 20 points and Zhao Rui added 19 points and 6 assists as the Chinese men's basketball team defeated Saudi Arabia to secure their first victory in the Asian Cup.

On August 5, 2025, during the group stage of the Men's Basketball Asian Cup, the Chinese men's basketball team faced Saudi Arabia in their first match. After four quarters of competition, China narrowly won 93-88 against Saudi Arabia. For the Chinese team, Hu Jinqiu scored 20 points with 5 rebounds, Wang Junjie contributed 10 points and 4 rebounds, Zhao Rui had 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists, Cheng Shuai Peng added 13 points and 3 assists, while Yu Jiahao scored 15 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.

At the start of the game, the starting lineup for the Chinese men's basketball team included Hu Mingxuan, Zhao Rui, Zhao Jiayi, Zhu Junlong, and Hu Jinqiu. The Saudi team began aggressively, taking a quick 4-0 lead over China. Zhao Rui broke through and scored with a layup to get China on the board. Saudi Arabia, leveraging their home advantage, continued to score, but Zhao Rui responded with a three-pointer. However, Zhao Rui was hit in the abdomen during a drive and had to be substituted after falling to the ground. Cheng Shuai Peng scored consecutively, and Wang Junjie made a free throw, allowing China to take their first lead. After a high shooting percentage in the first half, Saudi Arabia gradually returned to normal levels, while China steadily expanded their lead. With Zhu Junlong hitting a buzzer-beater three-pointer, China led 30-22 against Saudi Arabia.

In the second quarter, after Saudi Arabia's aggressive offense, Wang Junjie hit a three-pointer to maintain an 8-point lead for China. Wang Junjie's defensive performance was also commendable, and then Cheng Shuai Peng hit another three-pointer, prompting a timeout from Saudi Arabia. After the break, Saudi Arabia reduced the deficit to single digits with a combination of shots and free throws. Liao Saning made a brilliant pass during a fast break, and Hu Jinqiu finished with a two-handed dunk. Saudi Arabia's naturalized guardAbdulrahman responded with a personal effort, driving through for 2 points, and then hit a three-pointer over Zhu Junlong's defense. Cheng Shuai Peng and Hu Jinqiu connected for a 2+1 play, but unfortunately, the free throw was missed. At the end of the quarter, Gao Shiyan made a long pass to Hu Jinqiu, who scored another 2 points in the paint, giving China a 53-43 lead over Saudi Arabia.

In the second half, Saudi Arabia scored 5 consecutive points, but Hu Jinqiu quickly responded with a jump shot, and Zhao Rui's back-to-back layups pushed the lead back to double digits. Saudi Arabia continued to capitalize on transition opportunities to score, and although Cheng Shuai Peng hit a three-pointer, there were still issues in delaying the opponent's fast breaks. After the timeout, Zhao Rui hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, and Yu Jiahao scored a 2+1 to stabilize the lead. Subsequently, Cheng Shuai Peng's floater and Yu Jiahao's free throws helped China withstand Saudi Arabia's counterattack. After Li Xiangbo came on, he grabbed a rebound that caused Saudi Arabia's starting center to commit his fourth foul, and he made both free throws, ending the third quarter with China leading 80-65.

In the final quarter, Hu Jinqiu missed two free throws and was substituted for Yu Jiahao. Previously, Hu Jinqiu had an impressive shooting performance, going 9 for 10 from the field but only 1 for 7 from the line, which is quite rare. After a 4-0 run from Saudi Arabia, Yu Jiahao's dunk helped China break their scoring drought. Gao Shiyan made a steal that led to a foul by the opponent, but there was also an elbowing motion, resulting in both teams being called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Yu Jiahao's strong attack in the paint directly took down Saudi Arabia's starting centerAl-Suwailim, and victory seemed within reach for China. However, the team then became a bit complacent, allowing the opponent to close the gap. At a crucial moment, Hu Mingxuan's drive drew a foul, helping China stabilize their lead. Hu Jinqiu made 1 of 2 free throws, keeping China's lead at 5 points. In the final moments, Zhao Rui hit a crucial shot after a drive, and the opponent also made a three-pointer. In the decisive moments, Saudi Arabia's desperate three-point attempt missed, and the Chinese men's basketball team secured a 93-88 victory over Saudi Arabia.