Jordan UVS China U Preview: China’s Dual-Core Struggling with Injuries, Jordan’s Saleh Shows Aggression

On the evening of September 9th, the third-place playoff match of the U18 Asian Cup will take place between China’s U18 men’s basketball team and Jordan’s U18 men’s basketball team.

China’s U18 previously lost to New Zealand’s U18 71-86 in the semi-finals, while Jordan’s U18 suffered a 42-94 defeat against Australia’s U18.

In their match against New Zealand’s U18, China’s U18 faced several challenges. Xun Sinan was injured during the game against India’s U18 and did not play in the semi-final, resulting in a significant disadvantage for China’s U18 in the paint, with rebounds being heavily outmatched at 28-54. Zhang Boyuan was also affected by a fever and was not in his best condition; although he scored 15 points, his shooting efficiency was low, hitting only 4 out of 15 shots. Two other players scored in double digits: Duan Ruiqi contributed 15 points with 5 out of 11 shooting, and Chen Jiazheng added 10 points and 5 rebounds on 4 out of 11 shooting. Liu Li scored 8 points, while Cui Xinquan had 6 points.

Jordan’s U18 suffered a heavy loss to Australia’s U18 in the semi-final, with only Saleh scoring in double figures with 14 points on 4 out of 10 shooting, while Alshami contributed 8 points and 6 rebounds.

After five games, China’s U18 has largely achieved its expected goals, securing a ticket to next year’s U19 World Cup. Leading scorer Zhang Boyuan averaged 16.2 points per game, followed by Liu Li with 10.5 points and 5 rebounds per game, Chen Jiazheng with 10 points and 2.4 steals per game, Duan Ruiqi with 9.8 points and 3.5 assists per game, Zhang Huafei with 7.3 points, Xun Sinan with 5.3 points and 6 rebounds per game, Xun Sifeng with 6.8 points, and Wang Hongze with 5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

The most prominent player on Jordan’s U18 is the number 0 player, Saleh, who averages 17.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in this U18 Asian Cup, being the only player on the team averaging double-digit points. Number 7 Kilani averages 9.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game, number 12 Alshami averages 9.2 points and 9 rebounds per game, and number 4 Salman averages 9 points per game.

In summary, the two teams are relatively evenly matched, but the injury issues of Xun Sinan and Zhang Boyuan pose the biggest challenge for China’s U18. Moreover, the opponent has home-court advantage, making this a significant test for China’s U18. To perform well, China’s U18 needs better performances from both the guards and the frontcourt.

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