Guangdong Sees Ideal Situation as Three Youth National Team Players Shine; Chen Jiazhen and Wang Hongze Could Become Key Players

In a preseason game that concluded in Zhaoqing, Guangdong men's basketball team lost 81-89 to Shenzhen. A preseason defeat is not a major issue, but for Guangdong fans, the biggest surprise from the game was that the three Guangdong players from the youth national team all performed well. This is exactly the outcome Guangdong supporters most wanted to see.

Wang Hongze was especially impressive, scoring 24 points in the game, which was a very strong output. During his time with the youth national team, Wang Hongze was already a key player. However, he did not receive enough opportunities under Du Feng and therefore had limited chances to show his ability. In a preseason game of this level, Wang Hongze was able to dominate. His inside footwork was excellent in this game, while his positioning and basketball IQ were also on display, and he even completed a powerful dunk. This was helped by his improved strength, which has made him increasingly effective inside and caught many people's attention.

Chen Jiazhen also deserves mention, as he showed some impressive moments last season. His defense has always been a reliable part of his game, but he unfortunately did not receive enough ball-handling opportunities under Du Feng. Chen Jiazhen scored 14 points in this game, and his ability to attack the basket and shoot three-pointers is solid. When Hu Mingxuan and Xu Jie become the team's clear core players in the future, Chen Jiazhen could provide support on both ends of the floor and gradually become a regular contributor. Hopefully, this game will mark a new beginning for him.

Yang Yi also showed his value in this game. His three-point shooting percentage is indeed not ideal, but he remains steady when handling and organizing the offense. In addition, he brings energy on defense and has the support of his mid-range shooting and free throws. If given enough opportunities, he can sometimes provide solid contributions. However, he would likely be targeted in the playoffs, while he should be able to help ease pressure on the backcourt during the regular season.