中国女篮在备战巴黎奥运会的过程中进行了13场热身赛,但却只获得2胜11负的战绩。在最后一场热身赛中,中国女篮遭遇法国女篮93比76的失利,连败7场。尽管拥有女篮世界杯亚军、女篮亚洲杯冠军等荣誉,中国女篮在热身赛中一直未能找回最佳状态。
在热身期间,中国女篮被澳大利亚女篮和日本女篮连续击败。即使主力球员如李月汝、韩旭和李梦等回归,中国女篮仍未能战胜比利时女篮和法国女篮,表现相对挣扎。主帅郑薇在赛前一直督促队员减压,表示中国女篮尚未达到世界强队水平。
China's women's basketball team arrived in Paris with the titles of World Cup runners-up, Asia Cup champions, and a second-place global ranking. However, the team struggled to find its form during the 13 warm-up games before the Paris Olympics. The team faced challenges against European powerhouses like Belgium and France, even with key players like Li Yueru, Han Xu, and Li Meng back in the lineup. Li Meng, recently recovered from injury, had yet to reach her peak.
According to Coach Zheng Wei, a true world-class team should consistently reach the top four in multiple major tournaments, a standard the Chinese team has yet to achieve. With only two changes to the 12-player roster from the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, the stability of the team reflects a lack of emerging talent in the current Olympic cycle.
In the current Chinese women's basketball team, Li Meng, Han Xu, and Li Yueru are vital players, with Li Meng serving as a key ball handler. Li Yueru's performance in recent warm-up games has been impressive, highlighting her importance to the team. Yet, Han Xu has struggled to find her rhythm and assert her tactical value.
Compared to the team that secured second place at the World Cup two years ago, the backcourt of the Chinese women's team faces challenges. Captain Yang Liwei has been plagued by injuries, leading to a decrease in her sharpness. Wang Siyu shoulders greater pressure now, with Li Yuan, Wu Tongtong, and Yang Shuyu finding it challenging to lead the team's offense. Li Meng has become a crucial playmaker during half-court offense, putting more pressure on the guards to support her.
The frontline – consisting of players like Li Meng, Huang Sijing, Luo Xinyu, Sun Mengran, and Zhang Ru – possesses distinct strengths. The success of Li Meng, Huang Sijing, and Zhang Ru has been crucial to the team's achievements. Despite recent struggles in shooting, Li Meng and Huang Sijing are still finding their touch, while Luo Xinyu and Sun Mengran need to improve their three-point shooting when opportunities arise.
Among the "Big Three" sports teams in China, the women's basketball team has been the most consistent in recent years. However, with the overall improvement in women's basketball globally, the pressure on the Chinese team at the Paris Olympics has intensified. Nevertheless, the recent string of defeats could help the team release pressure and play with more determination.
In the group stage of the Paris Olympics women's basketball event, the top two from each group and the two best third-placed teams advance. Despite facing challenges in recent major tournaments, the resilience shown by the Chinese team bodes well for their chances to surprise in Paris. The pressure is not overwhelming for them to advance, offering the team a chance to prove their competitiveness on the international stage.