On July 7th, the U17 Basketball World Cup Qualifiers enter its final day, with China’s U17 men’s basketball team facing familiar foe Guinea’s U17 squad in a battle for 13th and 14th places.
Both China and Guinea were previously grouped in Group B, with their first encounter at this U17 World Cup resulting in a 101-92 victory for Guinea. The match was considered evenly matched, but China’s U17 team was outplayed, particularly on the boards, losing the rebounding battle 28-57.
In that game, only three Chinese players scored in double digits, with Xun Sinan contributing 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 blocks, Feng Yubo scoring 23 points, and Zhang Boyuan adding 11 points.
Xun Senan, who sustained an injury against Lithuania, has missed the last two games, and his availability for this match is uncertain. Feng Yubo, after a promising debut, has since faded in subsequent contests.
Li Yuezhou and Zhang Boyuan have been relatively consistent performers for China’s U17 team. Li Yuezhou, aside from the opening game against Guinea, has scored in double digits in five consecutive matches, averaging 15 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 steals. All these statistics except for rebounds are team-highs.
Zhang Boyuan, despite some fluctuations, is still averaging 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.
Xun Sinan, with averages of 13 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks, is crucial for China’s U17 squad.
Guinea’s U17 team boasts two standout big men: center Diane (averaging 18.7 points, 12 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks, ranking fourth in scoring and first in rebounding), and A-Toure, who averages 18.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks, placing fifth in scoring.
In their initial clash with China, Diane put up 28 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, while A-Toure contributed 18 points. N-Toure had a 20-point, 9-rebound, 7-assist performance.
Like China’s U17, Guinea’s U17 has experienced a similar pattern of securing one victory in the group stage followed by a string of losses, before ending their losing streak in their previous match. China defeated Philippines’ U17 85-66, while Guinea overpowered Australia’s U17 98-78.
As the tournament concludes, China’s U17 meets Guinea’s U17 once more. Xun Sinan’s potential return is pivotal for China’s chances, as his performance in the opener was on par with Diane. If Xun cannot play, Coach Li Xiaoyong’s tactical planning will face significant challenges.
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