Anhui VS Shijiazhuang Preview: Match Result Irrelevant to Rankings, Both Teams May Rest Players and Play Without Pressure

At 19:30 on August 19th, the final match of the NBL regular season will take place, with Anhui Wenyi hosting Shijiazhuang Xianglan. Anhui Wenyi has already secured the top spot in the regular season, while Shijiazhuang Xianglan has locked down fourth place, allowing both teams to play this game without pressure.

After defeating Jiangsu Tanggou Guocang in their last game, Anhui Wenyi’s record stands at 22 wins and 3 losses, leading second-placed Hong Kong Jin Niu by one win. Due to having a better point differential in head-to-head matches, Anhui Wenyi has clinched the regular season championship and will enjoy home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Anhui Wenyi’s three foreign players are all exceptionally strong. Dakari Johnson, the big man, averages 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, shooting an impressive 67% from the field. Another big man, Ty Lawrence, averages 26.8 points and 5.4 rebounds, also with a high shooting percentage close to 60%. The small guard Pierre Jackson averages 22.8 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists, hitting 41% from beyond the arc.

In addition to the three foreign players, domestic players such as Yang Wenbo, Xue Fuxin, Liu Renwei, Tang Jie, and Gao Jinwei are also very capable. Gao Jinwei, who recently joined the team, averages 15.5 points and 7 assists per game, while Yang Wenbo contributes an average of 12.3 points. Anhui Wenyi’s roster is extremely luxurious.

Shijiazhuang Xianglan has also performed well overall this season, ranking fourth with a record of 13 wins and 12 losses, leading fifth-placed Guangxi Weizhuang by two wins and trailing third-placed Changsha Wantian Yongsheng by two wins. They have secured the fourth position in the regular season, so the outcome of this match will not affect their ranking.

Shijiazhuang Xianglan has three foreign players. Weems is the team’s top scorer, averaging 20.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. Despite his age, he remains a top-tier foreign player in the NBL. Forward Ennis averages 15.2 points and 5.9 rebounds, while center Ndour, standing at 2.13 meters tall, averages 19.1 points and 10.7 rebounds, serving as the team’s defensive anchor inside. Besides the three foreign players, Rehpuqati Jiang averages 10.3 points and 5 rebounds per game.

Since the result of the match won’t impact the rankings, both teams can play without pressure and might rest key players to prepare for the playoffs, which begin on August 22nd. Given that one team ranks first and the other fourth, if both advance in the first round of the playoffs, they will meet in the semi-finals, making this match still highly anticipated.

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