Sichuan Triumphs over Dongguan in Game 3 of WCBA Finals, Series Remains Ongoing
Sichuan defeated Dongguan 96-77 in Game 3 of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association Finals, held at home in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on Thursday. This win allows Sichuan to pull one game back in the best-of-five series, keeping their...
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Sichuan defeated Dongguan 96-77 in Game 3 of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association Finals, held at home in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on Thursday. This win allows Sichuan to pull one game back in the best-of-five series, keeping their title defense hopes alive.
Sichuan jumped out to a dominant 19-2 lead early on and maintained a 23-point advantage by halftime. Despite Dongguan's efforts in the second half to make a comeback, Sichuan successfully held on to secure the victory on their home court.
Li Meng led Sichuan with a game-high of 24 points, while Jonquel Jones added 22 points and 11 rebounds. Elizabeth Cambage and Gao Song contributed with 17 and 16 points, respectively.
"Tonight we finally played as we played the whole season," said Sichuan's coach Milos Paden. "We played defense, we played in transition that we did the best the whole season, and how we scored the most points."
After suffering two consecutive losses in earlier games, Sichuan made three changes to their starting lineup, bringing in Gao, Jia Saiqi, and Zhang Manman.
"Refresh the team, and give new energy and new blood," Paden explained regarding his strategic choice.
Jia opened the scoring soon after tip-off with a layup, countered by Yang Liwei from Dongguan. Following this, Jones hit a three-pointer, igniting a fierce 17-0 run that allowed Sichuan to close the first quarter with a 32-18 lead.
Sichuan maintained their offensive momentum into the second period, scoring 10 consecutive points to extend their lead to 24. Though Dongguan managed to cut the deficit to 15 points through a full-court press from their reserves, Gao helped stabilize Sichuan with a layup, followed by contributions from Wang Siyu and Li Meng. By halftime, Sichuan was ahead 57-34.
Dongguan showed resilience, launching a 12-0 run in the third quarter to narrow the gap, ending the period down by just 11 points.
A layup from Yang at the start of the fourth quarter brought the deficit under ten points, but Sichuan answered with crucial baskets from Li and Jones, extending their lead to 80-66 with six minutes remaining. A subsequent 9-0 run solidified Sichuan's victory.
Aliyah Collier was the leading scorer for Dongguan with 21 points, supported by Yang Shuyu with 12 points and Yang Liwei with 10.
Dongguan's coach-player, Huang Sijing, remarked on her team’s performance, stating they could not settle for this defeat. "So far we have showcased what we have. Obviously we had something that we didn't do well, but the series is not over, and hopefully we can put on a more excellent game on our home court."
The fourth game is set to take place on Sunday, hosted by Dongguan.
"It will be hard to play there. But if we play like this, if we play with good energy and a heart, I believe we can win bring the fifth game back here," Paden added.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
Sichuan jumped out to a dominant 19-2 lead early on and maintained a 23-point advantage by halftime. Despite Dongguan's efforts in the second half to make a comeback, Sichuan successfully held on to secure the victory on their home court.
Li Meng led Sichuan with a game-high of 24 points, while Jonquel Jones added 22 points and 11 rebounds. Elizabeth Cambage and Gao Song contributed with 17 and 16 points, respectively.
"Tonight we finally played as we played the whole season," said Sichuan's coach Milos Paden. "We played defense, we played in transition that we did the best the whole season, and how we scored the most points."
After suffering two consecutive losses in earlier games, Sichuan made three changes to their starting lineup, bringing in Gao, Jia Saiqi, and Zhang Manman.
"Refresh the team, and give new energy and new blood," Paden explained regarding his strategic choice.
Jia opened the scoring soon after tip-off with a layup, countered by Yang Liwei from Dongguan. Following this, Jones hit a three-pointer, igniting a fierce 17-0 run that allowed Sichuan to close the first quarter with a 32-18 lead.
Sichuan maintained their offensive momentum into the second period, scoring 10 consecutive points to extend their lead to 24. Though Dongguan managed to cut the deficit to 15 points through a full-court press from their reserves, Gao helped stabilize Sichuan with a layup, followed by contributions from Wang Siyu and Li Meng. By halftime, Sichuan was ahead 57-34.
Dongguan showed resilience, launching a 12-0 run in the third quarter to narrow the gap, ending the period down by just 11 points.
A layup from Yang at the start of the fourth quarter brought the deficit under ten points, but Sichuan answered with crucial baskets from Li and Jones, extending their lead to 80-66 with six minutes remaining. A subsequent 9-0 run solidified Sichuan's victory.
Aliyah Collier was the leading scorer for Dongguan with 21 points, supported by Yang Shuyu with 12 points and Yang Liwei with 10.
Dongguan's coach-player, Huang Sijing, remarked on her team’s performance, stating they could not settle for this defeat. "So far we have showcased what we have. Obviously we had something that we didn't do well, but the series is not over, and hopefully we can put on a more excellent game on our home court."
The fourth game is set to take place on Sunday, hosted by Dongguan.
"It will be hard to play there. But if we play like this, if we play with good energy and a heart, I believe we can win bring the fifth game back here," Paden added.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
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