China coach Xu Limin spent a few weeks earlier this year at Duke University with the women’s basketball team, hoping to expand his coaching knowledge. He credits that experience for some of the success his team has had at the World Cup so far.
China on Friday had a disappointing 83-42 loss to Australia in the quarter-finals. It is only the third time in the past six world championships that China has made it this far.
“First of all, an advanced philosophy for an offensive side and defensive side,” Xu said through a translator of what he learned at Duke. “Many things I learned from there helped us here.”
Photo: EPA
Xu was an assistant on China’s last Olympic team, who finished 10th. Only three players from that team remain on the squad.
“We are a young team and 2020 to 2024, that time will be best for our team as they will mature,” Xu said. “For China our players’ pool is small and we don’t have too many players to pick from.”
China’s elimination-round win over rival Japan was on TV in prime time in China, which was huge for the growth of the sport in the basketball-crazed nation.
“It helped a lot of people who love basketball watched it and will be huge for us in the future,” Xu said.
What has also helped China improve is the constant influx of foreign players competing in the Chinese Basketball League. US stars Breanna Stewart, Nneka Ogwumike, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles and Tina Charles have all played in China.
“China is one of the best places to play overseas as far as international players, so the fact that they improved a lot shows what they’ve done with their country and their league,” Stewart said. “You have some of the best WNBA players going over to play in China and showing them some of the standards we hold ourselves to, and they want to win and be competitive.”
Some of the US mannerisms are also rubbing off on the Chinese players. After a big block against Japan, Huang Sijing pounded her chest. Guard Li Yuan raised three fingers after making a huge three-pointer.
“I think also that’s the influence of a lot of Americans going over there,” US player Diana Taurasi said. “That’s the country that has taken the longest, since they take such pride in how they teach basketball and how they learn it. You can see the mannerism, the way they are dribbling or reacting after making plays. Those are things you’ve never seen from a Chinese team. It’s good that they show that emotion.”
Taurasi thinks this is the best China team she has seen since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and with most of their star players under 23, the future is bright.
A handful of WNBA coaches and general managers were at the game against Japan watching China’s two big post players. Han Xu, who turns 19 next month, is 206cm and scored 20 points against the US.
Xu would love if some of his players get a chance to play abroad.
“We want to be a strong team in the world and we need our players to get out,” he said. “If they have those types of experiences it helps us have a better team.”
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