China, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Japan advanced to the semifinal stage on September 24, as the quarterfinal round delivered decisive victories for the teams in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games women’s basketball tournament. While the traditional five-on-five squads pushed deeper into the bracket, China’s medal hopes in the three-on-three basketball events came to a sudden halt after both the men’s and women’s teams exited in the knockout rounds.
China Women’s Basketball Downs Mongolia to Reach Semifinals
China secured an 89-63 victory over Mongolia in their quarterfinal matchup, though coach Gong Luming voiced frustration over his team’s slow start during post-match remarks. Mongolia opened the game by sinking consecutive three-pointers, holding a narrow 24-23 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
The game shifted dramatically in the second period as Zhang Ziyu and Yang Shuyu ignited an offensive surge. China outscored Mongolia 25-5 in the second quarter alone, establishing a commanding cushion that carried through the second half. Yang led all scorers with 21 points, while Zhang added 20 points and nine rebounds. Sun Yu chipped in 12 points to round out the double-digit scorers.
“We started the game slowly, and that actually presents us with quite a sharp issue,” Gong said after the final whistle. “Although we won today, if we want to play well in the upcoming semifinals without a strong start, things will become extremely difficult for us.”
Upcoming Semifinal Showdown Against South Korea
China moves on to face South Korea in the semifinals on September 25. South Korea earned its place in the final four with a 101-59 rout of Indonesia earlier in the day.
South Korea enters the matchup acknowledging a clear physical disparity in the paint. Guard Kang Lee-seul noted after her team’s quarterfinal win that South Korea lacks a traditional tall center, giving China a prominent height advantage inside. However, Kang emphasized that her squad plans to rely on high-tempo transition play and aggressive defense to counter China’s size.
Gong characterized the upcoming contest as a high-stakes tactical chess match against a respected opponent. “South Korea is an outstanding team, and we have always treated them as a primary rival in our serious preparations,” Gong said. “We believe this match will be a true test of strategy, methodology, and execution from both sides.”
Chinese Taipei and Japan Complete the Four-Team Field
The other half of the women’s bracket saw Chinese Taipei defeat the Philippines 83-71, while Japan delivered an 86-29 dismantling of Thailand. Chinese Taipei and Japan will square off in the second semifinal on September 25.
Three-On-Three Teams Eliminated in Knockout Rounds
The outlook proved less favorable in the three-on-three basketball competitions on the same day. The Chinese men’s team advanced through an initial qualification round by defeating Indonesia 21-10, but subsequently fell 22-13 to South Korea in the subsequent round, missing out on the semifinals.
The Chinese women’s three-on-three side suffered a narrow 16-17 defeat against Japan in their quarterfinal clash, ending their medal pursuit. The four-team men’s semifinal field features the Philippines, South Korea, Qatar, and Iran. The women’s three-on-three semifinals comprise South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines.
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