Latest news with #GongLuming
South China Morning Post
14-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Chinese basketball sensation receives mixed reviews in competitive debut
Fans and commentators were split over basketball phenomenon Zhang Ziyu's competitive debut in China's blowout victory over Indonesia in the Fiba Women's Asia Cup on Sunday. Starting off the bench, Zhang finished with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block in 11 minutes as the reigning champions dominated in a 110-59 win on the opening day in Shenzhen. After the match, head coach Gong Luming defended Zhang, who turned 18 last month, against accusations she was slow and lacked defensive skills, and pointed out the 7ft 5in (2.26-metre) centre had not been practising with the team for the past 10 days. 'She has a very special and unique talent. She put loads of pressure on our opponents,' the 67-year-old said. 'But in real game situations, there are still areas of her game she needs to polish because she's still very young.' The emphatic win at Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre, in which the hosts were in front for all but 11 seconds of the game and led by as many as 54 points at one stage, was no surprise given the difference between the two teams. However, some in the local media were critical of the teenage sensation and 12-time champions China.
South China Morning Post
17-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
China basketball teen sensation Zhang Ziyu ‘best player I've ever seen', coach says
Japan will be the latest team to get a close look at China women's teenage basketball sensation Zhang Ziyu, who was labelled 'the best player I have ever seen' by one overawed opponent last weekend. Advertisement China and Japan, who are ranked fourth and ninth in the world respectively, clash in a friendly in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, on Wednesday, as part of their preparations for next month's Fiba Asia Cup. Zhang made her senior team debut in a warm-up match against Bosnia and Herzegovina last Friday, and played in a second encounter on Sunday. The 7ft 5in (2.26-metre) centre chipped in 34 points and 14 rebounds in just over 27 minutes across the two matches. She had a team-high 18 points and seven boards in 12 minutes as the hosts won the first encounter 101-55, and two days later the 18-year-old was instrumental in a 124-57 thrashing, scoring 16 points and adding seven rebounds. Despite being limited by new head coach Gong Luming to 15 minutes per match, Zhang's dominance, especially in the paint, hardly went unnoticed.
The Star
15-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
China beats BiH again in women's basketball Asia Cup warm-ups
JINAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China registered another comfortable victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) here on Sunday in the women's basketball warm-ups for the Asia Cup. Having beaten BiH 101-55 on Friday, China provided an even better performance on the offensive end this time, leading the first quarter 30-8 and going on to win the game 124-57. With a huge margin throughout the game, China head coach Gong Luming took the opportunity to try different combinations and tactics. China hit 17 three-pointers from 32 attempts. Yang Shuyu notched a game-high 22 points, with 5 assists and 6 steals, while 18-year-old Zhang Ziyu collected 16 points and 7 rebounds. China will now face Japan in the next warm-up match held in Xi'an on June 18.
