XI'AN, China, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's men's basketball team narrowly defeated Spanish Liga powerhouse Joventut Badalona, 65-62, in a warmup match on Friday evening, avenging their defeat from just two days ago.
After suffering a five-point defeat to Joventut in Quzhou, Zhejiang Province on Wednesday, China adjusted its lineup and took an early lead from the opening tip-off.
Hu Mingxuan, who played a key role in the victory with a game-high 18 points in 31 minutes, effectively broke Joventut's full-court pressure tactic that had troubled the hosts in the previous game. His precise passing helped China close the first half on a 16-11 run.
Joventut, led by Croatian veteran Ante Tomic, showcased their experience and patience, especially in the paint. Tomic's dominance inside allowed Joventut to tie the score at 29-29 going into halftime.
In the third quarter, despite Joventut's strong presence inside, their low shooting percentage allowed China to retake the lead by eight points into the final quarter.
As the game entered the last five minutes, China found its shooting rhythm while Joventut struggled to keep up. A crucial three-pointer from Hu helped China seal the 65-62 victory.
China's head coach Guo Shiqiang praised his team's focus and resilience. "The players showed great integrity and concentration, having carefully analyzed the previous loss," Guo said.
Guo added that both offensive and defensive plans were well executed and that most players had met the coaching staff's expectations in terms of physical fitness, coordination, and understanding of the system developed during the summer training camp.
Joventut head coach Daniel Miret commended China's toughness and team spirit, as well as the passionate atmosphere created by the basketball fans in Xi'an. "We had chances to win, but we made too many errors at the end," Miret commented. "But there's no one to blame, China's key three-pointer decided the game."
