China coach keen on D’Tigress sweep

China's coach Gong Luming aims for a clean sweep against Nigeria's D’Tigress in their pre-World Cup exhibition games. Wang Siyu's four free throws in the closing moments enabled the hosts to overcome an eight-point deficit and secure a 69-65 victory in Haikou on Sunday. This win marked the second consecutive loss for D’Tigress in their meetings with China, following a 70-67 defeat in the first exhibition game on Friday.

Tang Ziting contributed to China's win with three crucial three-pointers, including the game's first, and another in the final period. Zhang Ziyu dominated in the paint for the Chinese side, amassing 23 points and 13 rebounds. Nigeria's defense held firm throughout the game, with the African champions leading 54-46 heading into the final period.

The game was tightly contested, with both teams committing 19 turnovers. Gong emphasized the importance of the matchup for his young team, stating it provided valuable experience ahead of the FIBA Women's World Cup in Berlin.