China – The Chinese Women’s National Basketball Team defeated Brazil 74-69 in overtime on March 4th, continuing their practice games before to the World Cup Qualifiers in Changsha.
The Chinese team’s starting were Zhang Manman, Yang Shuyu, Tang Ziting, Chen Mingling, and Luo Xinyu. In the first quarter, the two teams alternately took the lead. In the second quarter, the Chinese team steadily gained the upper hand and held their opponents to just 11 points. In the first half, Wang Siyu made all six shots and scored 13 points on his own, giving the Chinese side a 39-26 lead going into the second half.
With a score of 55:40 at the end of the third quarter, the Chinese team maintained their lead in the second half, but they only managed to score nine points in the fourth. With just 0.2 seconds remaining for the Chinese team, the Brazilian squad tied the game at 64:64 with a long-range three-pointer during their final possession of the fourth quarter. After Zhang Ziyu’s layup attempt to end the game was unsuccessful, overtime was played.
Zhang Ziyu contributed to the Chinese team’s steady offensive and defensive play in overtime, which helped them progressively seize the lead. Ultimately, the Chinese squad prevailed 74-69. Zhang Ziyu added 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks, Yang Shuyu and Liu Yutong each scored 12 points, and Wang Siyu had the team’s highest point total of 21.
“We need high-level competitions to help the team adapt to the rhythm of the competition.” said Gong Luming, the head coach of the Chinese Women’s National Basketball Team, after the match. During the preparation for the World Cup Qualifiers, the team will mobilize all strength to give everyone a chance to get trained. He particularly mentioned that Zhang Ziyu and Liu Yutong, as “newcomers”, can gain experience from competing against strong teams, which will be beneficial for the Chinese Women’s National Basketball Team in subsequent matches.
The Chinese women’s national basketball team will continue their warm-up game against the Brazilian squad in Changsha on March 6, 2026. The FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 qualifying rounds are scheduled for March 11–17. In the Wuhan division, the Chinese team will face off against Belgium, Brazil, South Sudan, the Czech Republic, and Mali. The Belgian team has moved straight to the main event as the intercontinental competition champion, while the other teams will compete for three qualifying positions.
Source: Changsha Online
By: Liu Jia
Photos by: He Yaling
