China Rout Bahrain by 46 to Reach Asian Games Quarters
China’s men’s basketball team demolished Bahrain 105-59 on September 12, a 46-point margin that secures early qualification for the quarterfinals at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, Xinhua News reported. It was China’s second straight victory in Group C and lifted the team to a 2-0 record with four points, booking its place in the last eight before the group stage concludes.
The result extended a commanding start to the tournament for the Chinese squad, which had opened its campaign by beating Kazakhstan by 38 points. Across the two games, China has outscored its opponents by a combined 84 points.
A Fast Start Sets the Tone
China needed less than three minutes to build a 9-0 lead and never surrendered control. A balanced attack, sharp transitions and effective inside-outside play stretched the advantage to 32-11 by the end of the first quarter, according to NetEase.
Bahrain edged the second quarter 18-14 as China’s scoring briefly cooled, but the run never threatened the outcome. China answered after halftime with a 25-13 third period to seal the contest, allowing the coaching staff to empty the bench in the final minutes.
The statistics underscored the gap in quality. China shot 56% from the field, made 22 of 29 two-point attempts and connected on 14 three-pointers. Five Chinese players finished in double figures.
Liao Sanning Leads the Way
Guard Liao Sanning was the game’s standout performer, scoring a game-high 23 points to go with six assists — the first 20-point outing by a Chinese player at this tournament. Li Yuezhou added 18 points, while Hu Jinqiu, Pang Zhenglin and Wang Junjie each contributed 11. Wang returned to the lineup after missing a game through illness.
For Bahrain, Sampson scored 17 points, Thomas added 10 and Aldrazi finished with nine.
China’s head coach Guo Shiqiang praised his team’s defensive discipline after the game. “This game our individual defense and overall defense were both done quite well, and we also did very well limiting their key players,” he said at the post-game press conference.
Liao struck a note of caution despite the lopsided scoreline, noting that Bahrain had upset the defending champion Philippines in its previous outing. “Bahrain beat defending champion Philippines in their previous game, so their strength should not be underestimated; China’s victory came from taking the opponent seriously,” he said.
The game was not without friction. A confrontation between China’s Jiao Boqiao and Bahrain’s Juma resulted in technical fouls for both players during the third quarter.
A Revenge Match Awaits
China’s attention now turns to its Group C finale against the Philippines on September 14, a game that will decide first place in the group and carries considerable historical weight.
At the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, China lost to the Philippines 76-77 in the semifinal and settled for bronze while the Philippines went on to win gold. According to Yangcheng Evening News, the two sides were drawn together again this year, setting up a rematch that Chinese media have widely framed as a chance at redemption.
The Philippines’ roster has changed substantially since that meeting. The team did not bring any naturalized players to Nagoya and is fielding an all-local lineup drawn from the domestic PBA league, Sina Sports reported. Justin Brownlee, a key figure in the Philippines’ recent success, is absent from the squad, leaving Calvin Oftana as the only returning gold medalist from Hangzhou.
Bahrain, by contrast, fielded four naturalized players and had shown its threat by toppling the Philippines earlier in the group stage — a result that made China’s defensive focus all the more pointed.
What to Watch
A win over the Philippines would give China top spot in Group C and a favorable seeding path through the knockout rounds. A loss would not eliminate the Chinese, who have already qualified, but it would hand the group’s top seed to their rivals and revive uncomfortable questions about China’s ability to beat the region’s strongest sides in decisive games.
Tip-off for the September 14 fixture has been reported as 12:00 by NetEase, though Sina listed a 13:00 start, leaving the exact time to be confirmed by organizers. Either way, the meeting will serve as the first true test of whether China’s dominant group-stage form translates against an opponent with recent history on its side.
For now, the margin over Bahrain offers evidence of a team finding its rhythm on both ends of the floor. Whether that rhythm holds against the Philippines will define how far this Chinese squad can go in Nagoya.