SINGAPORE, 2023, APRIL 01 – The FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 has been an exhilarating ride so far, with some of the top teams and players from across the continent coming together to battle it out for glory. Day 4 of the tournament was no different, as China‘s men’s and women’s teams finished pool play in style, ahead of the knockout stages which promise to be mouth-watering.
China, who are the No.1 seed and defending champions in the women’s competition, were the headline act on Day 4, as they breezed past the Philippines and Iran, cementing their position as one of the top teams in the tournament. Joining them in the quarter-finals were New Zealand, Mongolia, and the Philippines. China will now face Mongolia in the quarters, while New Zealand and the Philippines do battle.
In the men’s competition, the No.3 seed China made it through to the quarters, along with Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and host nation Singapore. China will now play Singapore in the quarter-finals, while Mongolia and Kazakhstan will square off. Day 4 saw the conclusion of the pool phase of Asia’s biggest 3×3 event, played at the famous Singapore Sports Hub OCBC Square, which is hosting the Asia Cup for the first time.
China’s men’s team made it two from two on Day 4, as they breezed past India, with Yuanbo Zhu in beast mode and unstoppable in the paint, finishing with 12 points and a crazy 20 rebounds across the two games. The 2.03m player made an instant impact in his Asia Cup debut and looms as one of the players to watch on Day 5.
Meanwhile, in the women’s competition, China’s Lingge Zhang is a rising star and lived up to the hype with 10 points against the Philippines. The 1.9m Zhang can score inside and out, proving she’s a certified walking bucket.
The day also witnessed some thrilling encounters, with Mongolia and Chinese Taipei engaging in a shoot-out contest. Mongolia eventually got on top and survived a Chinese Taipei comeback largely thanks to superstar Anand Ariunbold, who scored 10 points, capped by the buzzer beater in the 21-19 victory.
Singapore, who finished winless last year, were underdogs against Chinese Taipei but rode the support of a capacity crowd to produce a lights-out performance. With Yong-An Thng splashing from deep, Singapore powered away to a commanding 19-11 lead and were on the brink of a historic victory. But they suddenly got nervous as Chinese Taipei made their move to force OT. Singapore appeared set for a collapse until Ng Shi Yu stepped up with the two-piece to trigger wild celebrations.
Day 5 of the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 promises to be the most exciting yet, as the knockout stages get underway.
Men’s Quarter-Finals
Australia v Qatar
China v Singapore
Mongolia v Kazakhstan
Iran v New Zealand
Women’s Quarter-Finals
Japan v Thailand
New Zealand v Philippines
China v Mongolia
Australia v Chinese Taipei
Watch Day 5 of the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 on their YouTube channel.
