(The scene of the away match. Photo / Yin Xinyi)
On the evening of April 24, 2026, in the sixth round of the regular season of the Hunan Provincial City Basketball Association (Xiang BA), the Huaihua Team challenged the Zhangjiajie Team in the away match. With efficient offense and defense and solid teamwork throughout the match, they cruised to a lopsided victory by a score of 99:59, securing their first away win in the tournament. The resounding triumph showcased the grit and flair of Huaihua Team.
At the start of the match, the Huaihua Team showed an extremely high level of competitiveness, seizing the first possession and scoring the opening point of the match, quickly establishing their offensive rhythm. With smooth ball movement and determined attacks to the basket, Huaihua Team scored 8 points within just five minutes. And with ten minutes, Huaihua Team had taken the lead by the score of 15:5, and by the 16th minute, the two teams had further widened the score to 22:7. The contest of the first quarter was fierce, with both teams battling hard under the basket. However, Huaihua Team made better use of their scoring opportunities, finishing the first quarter by the score of 26:12 and building an early dominant lead. In the second quarter, the intensity of the match continued to rise, and the score was once locked in a stalemate. But Huaihua Team maintained a steady offensive output. With excellent teamwork, they scored from multiple sources — three-pointers, free throws, and strong attacks under the basket with multiple points scoring. Wang Mingyu and Zou Weihao hit back-to-back clutch three-pointers, while Captain Liu Weijiang orchestrated the offense with outstanding playmaking, energizing the entire team. At halftime, Huaihua Team still held a commanding lead. Chen Yang had already scored 17 points by the break, establishing himself as the core offense in the team.
As the second half began, Huaihua Team implemented a tight defensive scheme against Sun Weiwei, an elite shooter from Zhangjiajie Team: one player guarded him closely while some other defenders provided assists and double-teams, constantly restricting his offensive space and effectively shutting down Zhangjiajie’s primary scoring threat. Meanwhile, Huaihua’s offensive rhythm was unpredictable, combining fast-break attacks with half-court sets to continuously exploit the opponent’s defensive weaknesses. Before the end of the third quarter, the lead had already stretched to 30 points. At the close of the period, Huaihua Team held a commanding advantage by the score of 77:45 , effectively eliminating any doubt about the outcome. In the final quarter, Huaihua team maintained their high fighting spirit. Both teams unleashed their outside shooting, engaging in multiple three-point duels as the court witnessed a “three-point barrage”. Huaihua Team made 13 of 33 three-point attempts for the game, a respectable shooting percentage, and ultimately sealed the final score at 99:59, securing a resounding victory.
The statistics form the whole match show that Huaihua shot 47% from the field and far outperformed their opponents in three-point percentage. The team recorded 22 assists, demonstrating exceptional teamwork. In terms of individual statistics, Chen Yang posted a big double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds, leading the team to victory as the top contributor. Captain Liu Weijiang finished with a near triple-double of 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, orchestrating the team’s offense and defense. Wang Mingyu scored 18 points, and Zou Weihao added 11 points. This balanced, multi-pronged offensive attack left Zhangjiajie’s defense scrambling and unable to cover all threats.
After the match, Chen Yang, a team star from Huaihua Team, said in an interview that the victory would not have been possible without the whole team’s cooperation. He noted that Liu Weijiang and Zou Weihao, who had been troubled by injuries, both returned to good form and played in this game. He also expressed the hope that his teammates would continue to overcome injuries and keep playing with the level and spirit of Huaihua basketball. The coaching staff also extended special thanks to the fans who traveled with the team, saying that their support gave the entire team a huge boost. They pointed out that this away win greatly helped the players improve their ability to adapt on the road. The Huaihua Team members are always willing to give their all for Huaihua, and they will carefully review their performance and prepare for the upcoming matches.
This first away win has not only boosted the Huaihua Team’s confidence but also demonstrated the team’s sophisticated tactics and indomitable competitive spirit. On the upcoming Xiang BA matches, the Huaihua Team will head into battle with the morale from this victory, keep fighting for Huaihua, and strive for better achievements.
(Translated by Yang Sigui)