China Women’s Basketball Beats Nigeria Again in Warm-Up
The Chinese women’s basketball team secured their second consecutive victory over Nigeria in a warm-up match on August 9, defeating the African champions 69-65 at Haikou’s Wuyuanhe Sports Arena. The win follows a 70-67 triumph in the first game on August 7, continuing China’s preparation for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, according to Xinhua News.
Context: Building Toward Berlin
The warm-up series is part of China’s final preparation phase for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, scheduled for September 4-13 in Berlin, Germany. China has been drawn into Group D alongside the United States, Czech Republic, and Italy. The team, ranked fourth in the world, is undergoing a significant generational transition under head coach Gong Luming, who took over in February 2025. The squad features a high proportion of young players, with 64 percent born after 2000 and an average age of 23.6 years.
Key Developments: Zhang Ziyu’s Dominance
Rising star center Zhang Ziyu continued her commanding form, scoring a game-high 23 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the second match. Combined with her 24-point, 11-rebound performance in the opener, Zhang has accumulated 47 points and 24 rebounds across the two games, establishing herself as the team’s offensive anchor. Her impact was particularly evident in the fourth quarter, when her presence in the paint helped China mount a decisive comeback.
China trailed by as many as nine points in the third quarter before mounting a 10-0 run in the final period to seize control. Forward Tang Ziting hit two crucial three-pointers in the fourth quarter, while guard Wang Siyu converted two free throws in the closing moments to seal the victory.
Coach’s Assessment: Progress and Concerns
Head coach Gong Luming acknowledged the training value of the match, noting that Nigeria fielded their full main roster, including seven players who competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “Today’s match had higher training value than yesterday’s because they fielded their full main lineup,” Gong said, as reported by Zhibo8. “For our young team, this is actually excellent training.”
However, Gong also flagged persistent concerns. “The offensive rebounding issue we discussed has improved, but turnovers are still too high,” he said. “I hope we can do better in the Foshan match on the 12th.” China committed 19 turnovers in the second game, up from 16 in the opener, while shooting just 2-of-12 from three-point range. The poor outside shooting has been described as a “hard injury” for the team by Chinese media, with detailed analysis noting that both made three-pointers came from interior player Tang Ziting rather than perimeter shooters.
Player Chen Mingling echoed the coach’s assessment: “This game resolved many issues from the last one, but there’s still much to do. We need to do better on rebounding and turnover control.”
Nigeria’s Perspective: Valuable Preparation
For Nigeria, the narrow defeats represent valuable preparation for their own World Cup campaign. The D’Tigress, ranked eighth in the world and five-time consecutive African champions, are in Group B alongside Korea Republic, Hungary, and France. Their preparation program, titled “Road to Berlin,” includes stops in the United States, China, and Spain before arriving in Germany, as Punch Nigeria reported.
Nigeria Basketball Federation president Ahmad Musa Kida said facing a disciplined Chinese side in front of a large home crowd would help the team adjust to the intensity they will face at the World Cup. The games also provided commercial exposure through live broadcast on China Media Group, according to Sports247 Nigeria.
Analysis: Building Toward the World Cup
The two-game series against Nigeria has highlighted both China’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Zhang Ziyu’s dominance in the paint provides a formidable interior presence, but the team’s perimeter shooting struggles and turnover issues remain significant concerns ahead of facing elite competition. The warm-up matches against Nigeria, known for their physical style of play, are seen as preparation for China’s group-stage encounter with the world’s top-ranked United States team.
Gong Luming has set a target of “guaranteeing a top-six finish while aiming for the top four” at the World Cup. Key players Han Xu and Li Yueru are expected to rejoin the team during a European tour in late August, potentially forming a formidable “three-tower” interior system alongside Zhang Ziyu.
What’s Next
The two teams will meet for a third and final warm-up match on August 12 in Foshan, Guangdong, broadcast on CCTV5+. Following that, China will travel to Europe for additional warm-up games before the World Cup begins in Berlin on September 4. The third match will provide another opportunity for Gong Luming’s young squad to address the turnover and shooting concerns that have emerged during this series.