China defeated Japan 73-71 in the women’s basketball Asian Cup final women’s basketball and returned to the top of Asia after 12 years. On the 4th, China Women’s Basketball returned home triumphantly. I interviewed Zheng Wei, the coach of China women’s basketball.
Beiqing daily: before the Japanese team played in the final, captain Yang Liwei’s ligament was injured and could not be hit. How did women’s basketball adjust?
Zheng Wei: I think Yang Liwei’s role in this team is not only on the court, but also in spirit, because she is the captain of this team. In fact, before the Asian Cup, she told me that it was an unshirkable responsibility to fight for China’s women’s basketball. She also practiced with the team in Europe. But in fact, Yang Liwei also had injuries on her knees. She insisted on this Asian Cup group match with injuries all the time.
Before the final, we learned that Yang liweishi was unable to play, which did have a negative impact on the team, but China’s women’s basketball has always relied on the team to fight. Including last year’s World Cup, Li Meng was ill and could not play the semi-finals and finals, but other players would top up. This is also the fine tradition of China’s women’s basketball, which has been well inherited by this team.
Beiqing Daily: How to evaluate the final with the Japanese team?
Zheng Wei: it should be said that we have a stronger desire to win in the final of the Japanese team. We have been waiting for 12 years to win the Asian Cup again. Originally in the final, I want to say this to the players: if we don’t win this time, then a group of people in this team may miss the Asian Cup championship forever. But I didn’t say it after thinking twice at that time. But I feel that the team members all know. In the final, we did a good job in controlling the opponent’s outside line and counterattack, which made the Japanese team unable to play its own characteristics.
