Chinese women’s basketball team falls short in Asiad title defense

China's women's basketball team saw its Asian Games title defense come to a disappointing end on Friday after losing 85-80 to South Korea in the semifinals at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya.

The defeat means China will miss the Asian Games final for only the third time and will no longer be able to defend the gold medal it won in Hangzhou in 2023.

Center Zhang Ziyu led China with 22 points and seven rebounds, Luo Xinyu added 17 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Yang Shuyu contributed 15 points and seven rebounds.

China struggled from beyond the arc throughout the game, going 0-for-13 on 3-point attempts.

South Korea, meanwhile, made several crucial 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to overturn a four-point deficit. Lee So-hee scored a game-high 23 points, including five 3-pointers, while Lee Hae-ran added 22 points and six rebounds.

"We couldn't perform as well as we wanted to. And physically, we were challenged as well," China coach Gong Luming said after the game.

"We had some space, and we tried to shoot from there. But we didn't get the 3-pointers we wanted."

Gong said China also struggled to make full use of its strength positions.

"You can't judge the team based on just one game, but we have strength in the inside play. However, we could not get the ball," he said. "And in terms of speed, we could not catch up."

Gong also said Zhang still had areas to improve despite her contribution.

"Maybe today she was not able to demonstrate her strength," Gong said. "Defensive control is another area in which improvements are necessary."

"She has a long future ahead of her, so experience and physical strength are necessary. There should also be improvements made to her technique."

China entered the Asian Games after reaching the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, where it lost 90-61 to France.

But the semifinal defeat in Nagoya means China's women cannot defend their Asian Games title and will contest the bronze medal match on Saturday.

They were the nation's last hope for a basketball gold at the Games.

The men's team finished fourth after losing to Iran in the bronze-medal game, while both the men's and women's 3x3 teams were eliminated at the quarterfinal stage of their respective competitions.

That marks a sharp contrast with the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, when China swept all four basketball golds.

For Gong, rebuilding the team will require more than tactical adjustments.

"We are still in the midst of team building," he said. "We need to send the players outside of China to accumulate experience and come back so that we can have a stronger team."