China Coach Targets D'Tigress Sweep in Pre
The Chinese women's basketball team is preparing for the upcoming FIBA World Cup by playing a series of exhibition games against Nigeria. China's coach is using these matches to build team chemistry and gain experience against physical opponents.
Why it matters
International exhibition matches are critical for team development and tactical preparation ahead of major global sporting tournaments.
China coach Gong Luming is targeting a clean sweep of Nigeria’s D’Tigress in their pre-World Cup exhibition series after Wang Siyu’s four free throws in the closing seconds helped the hosts rally from an eight-point deficit to beat Nigeria 69-65 in Haikou on Sunday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The result, in the second of three warm-up games between both teams ahead of next month’s FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, means D’Tigress have now lost both of their meetings with China, having also fallen 70-67 in their first exhibition game on Friday. Tang Ziting sank China’s first three-pointer of the contest early in the final period before drilling another effort from beyond the arc to level the score at 54-54, with centre Zhang Ziyu attacking relentlessly in the paint before Wang’s late free throws sealed victory for the home side.
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