OKINAWA, Japan, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- China fought back from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat Japan 87-80 here on Thursday, securing their first win in the Asian qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
China made a sluggish start in the opening quarter as Japan quickly took control through Yuta Watanabe's cuts to the basket and 3-point shooting. Plagued by frequent fouls on defense, China sent its opponent to the free-throw line 14 times in the first quarter alone and trailed 21-11.
China briefly cut the gap in the second quarter with Liao Sanning creating chances off penetration and in transition, but a rise in turnovers allowed Japan to respond with another burst and stretch the lead into double digits. China trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half before going into the break 47-33 down.
China raised its defensive intensity through aggressive switching at the top and tighter pressure on the perimeter after halftime, forcing Japan into a string of turnovers, while finding rhythm at the other end with a 13-0 run to surge ahead. They outscored Japan 25-9 in the third quarter to take a 58-56 lead into the final period.
China carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, with Zhu Junlong knocking down a three-pointer from the left corner and Zhao Rui attacking the basket to score. Zhao, however, later fouled out after being called for an offensive foul on a drive.
The closing stages turned scrappy as both sides traded blows and several technical and unsportsmanlike fouls called against China sparked controversy on the sideline.
Japan capitalized at the free-throw line to narrow the gap, but Hu Jinqiu delivered at both ends with consecutive baskets in the paint and a key block, while Zhao Jiwei converted a crucial 3-point play to steady China before the visitors sealed the win.
Five Chinese players scored in double figures. Hu led all scorers with 20 points and 12 rebounds, Liao contributed 16 points and five assists, Zhao Jiwei added 14 points, He Xining had 12 points and three steals with three 3-pointers, and Zhao Rui chipped in 10 points, three rebounds and three assists.
For Japan, Yudai Nishida and Keisei Tominaga scored 14 points apiece, while Yuta Watanabe finished with 13 points and six rebounds.
With the victory, China improved to 1-2 and regained the initiative in the race to advance from Group B, which also includes South Korea and Chinese Taipei. The top three teams in each group advance to the second round.
"It was a tough game. Japan was the only Asian team to compete at the Paris Olympic Games, and we came into this game with the belief that we could challenge them," China head coach Guo Shiqiang said after the match.
"Our players were a bit tight in the first half, and our defensive execution was not good enough. Those two factors led to the big deficit. But in the second half, we stayed confident and started from defense. Every player showed great focus and execution, and that was reflected on the court," he added.
China will next face Chinese Taipei away on March 1 as it continues its push for a place in the second stage of the qualifiers. ■
