China 2012 [update]

[CKR13]

Game 2 of the YouYi Games

China doing much better from game 1 but failed to make a comeback as they lost a cliffhanger 69-65. Sun Yue's play was much improved as he lead the team with an all around game of 22 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. Wang Shipeng had 12 points while Zhu Fangyu with 9 points.

Chen Jianghua was disappointing on this game: 2 points, 3 turnovers but compensated via 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Guo Ailun fared better with 6 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.

Wang Zhelin played only 9 minutes scoring 6 points.

Zhang Zhaoxu had 3 blocks while Su Wei added 2 blocks.

[CKR13]

China losing to Australia in a blowout last night 78-55. Australians won the YouYi Games. China scoring only 11 points in the fourth quarter.

Some good news is that Ding Jinhui and Zhou Peng played after being sidelined with their respective injuries.

[CKR13]

Up next for China is a 4 nation tourney to be held in Jiangsu (Jun 22-24) and Henan (Jun 27-29). It will feature Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia. Yi Jianlian is expected to suit up for the national team.

[sinobball]

Slowly watched all 3 of the YouYi Games. (Games 1 & 3 can be found here: http://freezone.iinet.net.au/channel...ers-basketball and I have Game 2 in Chinese if anyone wants it.) The thing with watching a game after it was played has an advantage: you don't get disappointed since you already know the outcome and you can focus on the problems displayed. On paper, getting swept 0-3 by Australia without Mills, Ingles, Newley and a bunch of others isn't that encouraging, but I'm not too worried after watching the tapes. China NT typically perform better in actual games than warmup games if you check recent history, since if they play the same intensity as the non-Asian teams some of them will get injured from the physicality.

Overall this Chinese team, barring injuries in the next 40 days, is better than the 2011 edition and certainly better than the 2010 team. Some of the players are aging (Wang Zhizhi needs to retire but I can see why he'll still play in London) but the younger players are stepping up making this team deeper. Yi Jianlian despite wasting a year on the bench should be in his prime age-wise, and there is no reason that he won't at least achieve 80% of his statistics in 2010 Worlds. Sun Yue is in form and will play better in actual games. The one guy I have big hopes for is Guo Ailun, who didn't play last year in Wuhan largely due to off-court issues, but I can see he will make meaningful contributions in London. He'll make mistakes and he still dribbles too much, but he'll be a key player, which is ironic since he barely gets PT in CBA behind 2 Chinese players (who are not in the NT any more). In CBA he plays the 1 position but now Donewald has made him play 2 which was his position in the junior team, and IMO he has adapted to this role very well.

Wang Zhelin who hasn't played in the CBA has also played well IMO against the Aussie bigs. The biggest thing working for him is that he's very aggressive, and despite the lack of post moves he gets fouled alot (even though his FT% makes Shaq look like Peja.) He's not great defensively but I think it's worth taking him to London as well. I don't think he'll play much in London if he makes it, but certainly someone to look out for in the future.

The expectations are really low for this team, but that's a good thing (see my signature). Even though there's no African team in the group, I think they have a decent shot at winning 1 game.

PS: I'd also behave like Max Zhang Zhaoxu if I see Faye at the airport. Love her.

[CKR13]

I read from Yahoo!cn that Yi Jianlian have joined the national team over the weekend.

[CKR13]

Zhai Xiaochuan did not travel with the team to Kunshan. It is reported that Zhai was relegated back to the developmental pool. Tomorrow China will face Montenegro in a test match. Head coach Bob Donewald stated with the press that Zhang Bo, Wang Shipeng and Liu Wei will not play against Montenegro.

Yi Jianlian is with the team but Donewald would not comment if Yi will suit up against Montenegro as Yi did not scrimmage as the latter just warmed up.

PS:

Here are pictures of Zhang Bo. I'm glad that his shoulder is better. I feared that his aching shoulder would have him cut.

[CKR13]

Yi Jianlian is looking upbeat for the Olympics.

Yi won't allow China to fall off

[CKR13]

China winning two games so far.

China 83 - Montenegro 55
China 84 - Croatia 63

Note that Montenegro and Croatia sent their Under 23 selections. Yi Jianlian played sparingly against Croatia.

^^ Yi Li's facial expression = priceless.

[Walken]

Note that Montenegro and Croatia sent their Under 23 selections

Montenegro u20. w/o 2 best players

[CKR13]

China winning against the youth Serbian selection 88-80. Wang Zhizhi scored 27 points while Yi Jianlian managed 23 points.

Also, Yao Ming watched the game.

[CKR13]

China winning against Montenegro last night 79-71. Wang Shipeng scored a team high 17 points. Zhang Zhaoxu with 15 points.

[CKR13]

I love Zhang Zhaoxu's bushy eyebrows. Kinda like silk worms. He's the man in this pic.

[josemariaestu]

Slowly watched all 3 of the YouYi Games. (Games 1 & 3 can be found here: http://freezone.iinet.net.au/channel...ers-basketball and I have Game 2 in Chinese if anyone wants it.) The thing with watching a game after it was played has an advantage: you don't get disappointed since you already know the outcome and you can focus on the problems displayed. On paper, getting swept 0-3 by Australia without Mills, Ingles, Newley and a bunch of others isn't that encouraging, but I'm not too worried after watching the tapes. China NT typically perform better in actual games than warmup games if you check recent history, since if they play the same intensity as the non-Asian teams some of them will get injured from the physicality.

Overall this Chinese team, barring injuries in the next 40 days, is better than the 2011 edition and certainly better than the 2010 team. Some of the players are aging (Wang Zhizhi needs to retire but I can see why he'll still play in London) but the younger players are stepping up making this team deeper. Yi Jianlian despite wasting a year on the bench should be in his prime age-wise, and there is no reason that he won't at least achieve 80% of his statistics in 2010 Worlds. Sun Yue is in form and will play better in actual games. The one guy I have big hopes for is Guo Ailun, who didn't play last year in Wuhan largely due to off-court issues, but I can see he will make meaningful contributions in London. He'll make mistakes and he still dribbles too much, but he'll be a key player, which is ironic since he barely gets PT in CBA behind 2 Chinese players (who are not in the NT any more). In CBA he plays the 1 position but now Donewald has made him play 2 which was his position in the junior team, and IMO he has adapted to this role very well.

Wang Zhelin who hasn't played in the CBA has also played well IMO against the Aussie bigs. The biggest thing working for him is that he's very aggressive, and despite the lack of post moves he gets fouled alot (even though his FT% makes Shaq look like Peja.) He's not great defensively but I think it's worth taking him to London as well. I don't think he'll play much in London if he makes it, but certainly someone to look out for in the future.

The expectations are really low for this team, but that's a good thing (see my signature). Even though there's no African team in the group, I think they have a decent shot at winning 1 game.

PS: I'd also behave like Max Zhang Zhaoxu if I see Faye at the airport. Love her.

Sinobball, can you get for me second match?

[CKR13]

It seems that Guo Ailun could be dropped from the roster not because of non-satisfactory performance, but because of his attitude problem and his constant clashes with any coach that he has played for, including Bob Donewald.

[sinobball]

It seems that Guo Ailun could be dropped from the roster not because of non-satisfactory performance, but because of his attitude problem and his constant clashes with any coach that he has played for, including Bob Donewald.

No way he'll be dropped. Like I said, he'll be an important piece. You'll see.
I know where your post is coming from, but Guo is a good kid and not a disrespectful player. He just has his own style and own opinions. Donewald is not as stupid, narrow-minded or evil as some Chinese media portray him to be.