INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu integrated for 36 indicate lead defending champions China to a 91-69 triumph over South Korea in a Group B video game
at the FIBA Womens Asia Cup in Shenzhen, south Chinas Guangdong Province, on Tuesday.Both teams had a hard time to find their rhythm
offensively in the very first half
China missed out on a number of early possibilities under the rim, with Li Yuan, Luo Xinyu and Han all misfiring in the paint
South Korea also stopped working to profit from numerous wide-open chances, and the video game stayed scoreless for nearly two minutes
before Park Ji-hyun broke the drought with a basket.With the Chinese team sluggish to settle, 23-year-old forward Luo stepped up with a
number of crucial offending rebounds and fancy meals
Eighteen-year-old Zhang, who stands 226cm high, got in midway through the first quarter and remained a dominant presence in the paint,
although South Korea targeted her absence of mobility on offense
An He-ji nailed a spectacular long-range buzzer-beater to cut Chinas cause just three points at the end of the very first period.In the 2nd
quarter, South Korea suffered a scare when veteran center Park Ji-su sustained a shoulder injury while safeguarding Zhang
She was forced to the bench but returned for the 2nd half after treatment.China made an important tactical change after the break, unveiling
the double-tower lineup of Han and Zhang for the first time at the competition
The move paid instant dividends, as the two centers scored in fast succession to extend Chinas cause double digits
South Korea kept the margin within striking distance thanks to a flurry of three-pointers, hovering around a 10-point gap.In the last 3
minutes of the third quarter, China changed to a small-ball lineup with no traditional
The speed got, and sharp drives by Jia Saiqi and Wang Siyu assisted China take a 17-point cushion into the final quarter.Chinas shooting
behind the arc, which had actually been cold through the very first three quarters, finally heated up in the fourth
Huang Sijing, Yang Liwei and Zhai Ruoyun tore down prompt triples, extending the lead
South Korea struggled with tiredness down the stretch, and a number of clever cuts failed to produce points.As the clock ran out, China
protected success to stay unbeaten throughout the group stage.Han and Zhang each scored a team-high 18 points for China, with Han also
getting a game-high 12 rebounds
For South Korea, Choi I-saem hit four three-pointers to lead her group with 16 points, while An He-ji added 15.
