"Why didn't they use the 223cm Zhang Ziyu!" China women's basketball continues to face blame for shocking loss to Korea → Self-mockery over 'the price of neglecting guards'

*This content was translated by AI.

Despite securing the bronze medal, China Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team remains engulfed in a fierce backlash after suffering a shocking comeback defeat against South Korea in the semi-finals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Even with absolute height advantage, the team allowed a fourth-quarter comeback loss, sparking controversy over head coach Gong Luming's (69) leadership regarding how he deployed the "223cm monster center" Zhang Ziyu (19), while also triggering painful self-reflection on the long-standing system that has neglected guard development.

China lost to South Korea 80-85 in the women's basketball semi-final of the 2026 Asian Games held in Nagoya, Japan, on the 25th. Leading 65-61 through the third quarter, China collapsed 15-23 in the decisive fourth quarter, ending their bid for the final. This marks the first time since the 1994 Hiroshima tournament that the Chinese women's national team failed to reach the Asian Games final, a span of 32 years.

Immediately after the defeat, both Chinese fans and media outlets focused their criticism on Zhang Ziyu's playing time. On this day, Zhang Ziyu attempted only 11 shots, making an incredible 10 for a stunning efficiency, recording 22 points and 7 rebounds. China dominated the rebounding battle 52-31 over South Korea by leveraging Zhang Ziyu. However, at the critical moment when the score turned in the final minutes of the game, Zhang Ziyu could not exert influence on the court, having played only 16 minutes. Local media Sohu.com also reported on the 27th that fierce criticism continued, asking "Why did they keep the 223cm giant on the bench and just watch the defeat?" and labeling it a "disaster caused by the coach's delayed response."

However, some perspectives argue that the essence of the disaster is not simply an issue of 'center playing time.' External indicators clearly prove this. China attempted 13 three-point shots on this day but failed to make any (0% success rate). In contrast, despite struggling with shooting in the first half (3 made out of 21 attempts), South Korea did not falter and unleashed a total of 41 three-point shots, making 12. With explosive outside support from Lee So-hee's consecutive three-pointers, along with Lee So-hee (23 points) and Lee Hae-ran (22 points), the scoring gap in three-pointers alone reached 0-36, a massive difference of 36 points.

Head coach Gong Luming also failed to hide his frustration after the game. The coach stated, "We had a clear advantage inside and tried to slow down the tempo with an inside-out play that moved in and out. However, once the ball went inside, it could not get back out, and due to the opponent's strong early pressure, both the first and second pass speeds slowed significantly," identifying the cause of the defeat.

In reality, under the steady command of starting guard Heo Ye-eun (9 assists in the China game), South Korea aggressively attacked inbound passes from the start against China's guard lineups. With starting guard Li Weiyan sidelined due to a waist injury, China's lack of depth in the guard position was fully exposed. Yang Shu-wei, who played 35 minutes despite an incomplete ankle condition and scored 15 points with 7 rebounds, carried both offense and defense alone but committed six errors. Starting guard Wang Shi-yu, who recorded 10 assists, struggled against opponent pressure and fatigue, managing only 1 made shot out of 10 attempts, and was ejected after committing two critical U-fouls in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

As the guard lineups became trapped in trap defense near the half-line and could not advance, pattern plays disappeared. Even when the ball was finally passed to Zhang Ziyu, she was blocked by South Korea's agile front defense and double teams, delaying kick-out passes. When the ball reached the perimeter, players positioned on the three-point line hesitated to shoot; since they did not shoot, South Korea's defense tightened further to block the paint, trapping China in a "vicious cycle of traps."

Therefore, according to reports from Sohu.com and other outlets, there is a painful self-reflection within the Chinese basketball community that "we have paid dearly for long neglecting guards while chasing only height." It is said that since the youth level, selection has focused solely on tall players, with guards told simply to "pass to the center after crossing the half-line," adhering to outdated development philosophies. The WCBA (Chinese Women's Professional Basketball League) is also dominated by foreign investor forwards and large centers, leaving Chinese guards insufficient opportunities to develop skills in handling strong pressure during 2-on-2 plays or resolving situations independently.

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*This content was translated by AI.