Anhui Wenyi vs Jiangsu Guocang Preview: Jackson vs Balvin; Anhui Aims to Avoid Back-to-Back Home Losses and Revenge Jiangsu

On the evening of July 13, the NBL regular season continues with Anhui Wenyi hosting Jiangsu Tanggou Guocang.

In their previous match, Anhui Wenyi lost in overtime against Hong Kong Golden Bulls, ending their top spot battle and a six-game winning streak. They are currently second in the league with nine wins and two losses. Anhui Wenyi’s offensive performance has been explosive, averaging 100.3 points per game, ranking second in the league. Their three-point shooting efficiency is also high, with a team average of 35.8%, second-best in the league. Besides their excellent offense, Anhui Wenyi also performs well defensively, committing only 15.7 fouls per game, the fewest in the league.

Last season, they won 16 games and lost six, finishing first in the regular season and advancing to the playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, they swept Hong Kong Golden Bulls 2-0, reaching the semi-finals, where they defeated Liaoning Snow Wolves 3-0 to advance to the elimination rounds, eventually winning the championship. As a traditional powerhouse, Anhui Wenyi has several players returning for the new season. According to head coach Zheng Wu, Anhui Wenyi specifically signed Akzholi Bahai for the frontcourt and Zheng Qilong for the wing position, including the return of Xue Fuwen. Tang Jie, who was injured last season, has made a comeback this year. Foreign players include Dakari Johnson, Croatian forward Zubcic, and point guard Pierre Jackson. In addition, Anhui Wenyi has undergone targeted training, especially on defense. Zheng Wu noted that under the dual foreign player policy for the new season, domestic players need to take on more defensive roles and responsibilities as they aim for higher goals.

In their previous match, Anhui Wenyi showed great resilience at home. The team appeared to be without hope during regulation time but successfully tied the score by drawing two consecutive three-point foul shots, dragging the game into overtime. Had it not been for Jackson’s poor shooting form, Anhui Wenyi could have clinched the win. Ultimately, they were defeated 107-108 by Hong Kong Golden Bulls’ buzzer-beater. In this match, Zubcic scored the highest for the team with 25 points and 11 rebounds, being the best-performing player. The other foreign player, Jackson, was too late to find his form, missing all ten of his first shots, failing to maintain his previous outstanding performance. Anhui Wenyi had no choice but to accept defeat.

Jiangsu Guocang, on the other hand, ended a five-game losing streak by overturning Hefei’s fierce momentum in their last match and are currently eighth in the league with four wins and seven losses. Jiangsu Guocang’s performance this season has lacked stability, with poor displays on both offense and defense. Particularly on offense, the team averages only 88.4 points per game, ranking last in the league, forming a stark contrast with Anhui Wenyi. Moreover, their free-throw shooting is equally disappointing, with an average of 68.5% free-throw accuracy, also ranking last in the league. They also do not control possession well, committing as many as 14.2 turnovers per game, an area that needs improvement.

Last season, they finished ninth in the regular season with nine wins and thirteen losses, missing out on the playoffs. For the new season, they set a goal of making the playoffs. In response to the new season’s rules, Jiangsu made adjustments to their roster during the offseason. Head coach Zhang Cheng stated that compared to last season, they added one experienced player and several young players, increasing the number of young players to prevent injuries from impacting the team. In terms of foreign players, Jiangsu signed three, for positions 2, 4, and 5. To address last season’s weakness in the frontcourt, the team added two more big men. As one of the earliest teams to start training, Jiangsu hopes to quickly gel this season in preparation for their playoff push.

In their last match, Jiangsu Guocang overturned Hefei away from home with a 97-90 victory, avoiding a sixth consecutive loss. Balvin was in excellent form in this match, scoring 21 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, helping the team complete the comeback against Hefei. Jiangsu Guocang halted their losing streak in time.

The two teams met for the first time this season, with Anhui Wenyi surprisingly losing 100-102 at home to Jiangsu Guocang. Now facing each other again, Anhui Wenyi will not give up the opportunity to seek revenge at home.

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