Xinjiang vs. Ningbo Preview: Lacoscevic vs. Peterson – Can Xinjiang Stop the Slide and Avoid Consecutive Losses?

On October 5, the CBA preseason games continue in Qinghai Xining, with Xinjiang facing off against Ningbo.

Ningbo’s performance last season was unsatisfactory, achieving only 6 wins and 46 losses in the regular season, ranking second-to-last in the league and missing out on the playoffs. During the offseason, Ningbo underwent significant changes, with Wang Xiangbin, Jiang Shuai, Hou Wenjie, and Wang Houxiao leaving the team, while Chang Lin, Wang Zirui, Wang Fanyi, Sun Xu, Fu Yongkang, and Zhang Yutong were brought in. Notably, Wang Fanyi was signed as a rookie with the second overall pick, the highest draft pick in the team’s history. He performed excellently in college basketball and is expected to have a good showing in the new season.

In terms of foreign players, Ningbo signed Lacoscevic, Mang Martion, and Jordan Howard, forming a trio of foreign players. New Zealand coach Cameron replaced Adijiang, signaling Ningbo’s intent to improve their long-standing bottom position in the league.

However, Ningbo’s preseason performance has not been particularly impressive, winning only one game out of five. On October 3, Ningbo faced Shenzhen, who were in good form, and managed a comeback victory. In this game, apart from Qu Honglin, the overall performance of Ningbo’s starters was excellent. Particularly noteworthy was Wang Fanyi, who made 7 out of 9 shots for 21 points and 1 rebound, while Lacoscevic led the team with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists. Howard contributed 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists, although Martion, coming off the bench, had a cold hand but still managed 12 rebounds.

In their most recent match, Ningbo lost 93-105 to Shanxi. Facing Shanxi’s full offensive force, Ningbo fell short. In this game, Martion and Lacoscevic switched starting positions, but unfortunately, Martion only scored 6 points and 9 rebounds. Despite Howard’s 27 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists, it wasn’t enough. Additionally, Wang Fanyi, starting the game, made only one shot for 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Lacoscevic, despite a double-double, couldn’t prevent the loss due to poor shooting.

Xinjiang finished second in the regular season last year and advanced to the finals, but were swept by Liaoning, missing out on the championship. They lost many local players during the offseason but did not bring in any major domestic reinforcements, with only Ilifu Lat returning. However, Yang Rui and Ge Haoran were promoted from the youth team. The foreign player lineup was also reshuffled, with Peterson, Lawson, and Higgins forming a trio of foreign players. While Xinjiang’s roster has become younger, it will be challenging for them to surpass last season’s achievements.

Xinjiang’s preseason performance was very good, once securing four consecutive wins. However, in their last game, Xinjiang narrowly lost 92-95 to Shenzhen. Peterson, coming off the bench, still led the team with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Lawson struggled with his shooting, scoring 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Higgins added 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Qi Lin also scored 11 points. Despite having an advantage in rebounds, Xinjiang was ultimately overturned. During the four-game winning streak, Li Yanzhe and Ilifu Lat both performed well, and Peterson averaged over 20 points per game.

In their matchups last season, Xinjiang maintained a perfect record against Ningbo, holding a clear advantage. However, after the adjustments made during the offseason, it remains to be seen whether Ningbo can save face in this game.

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