10-of-9 from the Free-Throw Line! 2.26m Zhang Ziyu Becomes China's Bright Spot

In the first round of the 2026 Women's Basketball World Cup group stage, China women's basketball team faced defending champions USA women's basketball team. After four quarters of play, China suffered a heavy defeat, losing 61-94 to the United States by 33 points. This was also China's 18th consecutive loss to the USA, as they continue to search for a victory against them.

From this game, China struggled from the start, repeatedly missing shots and appearing out of rhythm. Even open shots near the basket did not go in. After the first quarter, China trailed the United States by 13 points. In the second quarter, China still could not find many solutions, with inefficient offense, and went into halftime behind 29-49, down by 20 points.

In the second half, China's three-point shooting continued to struggle, while the United States kept making three-pointers, causing the gap between the teams to continue growing and reach 30 points at one stage. China improved slightly in the fourth quarter, scoring 19 points. In the end, China suffered a 33-point defeat to the United States.

An analysis of the game showed that China women's basketball team exposed many problems. For example, the team's offensive level was poor, with a lack of mid-range shots and three-pointers. Even when players drove to the basket, their finishing efficiency was very low. This also showed issues with the players' fundamentals.

For example, the players' mentality was unstable. China had several good opportunities during the game, but they were unable to turn them into points. Multiple players drove to the basket but failed to finish even when facing open shots.

Another issue was a lack of confidence. When Zhang Ziyu attracted multiple defenders near the basket, opportunities for three-point shots appeared on the perimeter, but players were still hesitant to shoot even when open. Clearly, China women's basketball players lacked confidence.

Looking at the performances of China women's basketball players, only one player provided some encouragement: 19-year-old Zhang Ziyu. As the youngest player on the team, Zhang played with great effort, repeatedly attacking the basket and scoring. She earned 10 free-throw attempts in the game, the most among all players, and made 9 of them. Her 90 percent accuracy also showed her strong fundamentals.

In the end, Zhang Ziyu played 18 minutes off the bench, shooting 2-of-4 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line, finishing with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. She was China's best-performing player in the game. Zhang Ziyu became the team's standout performer.