Hoopsters take aim at Tokyo challenge

Following the team's disappointing 10th-place finish at the 2016 Games, Xu took over the national program tasked with rebuilding the team around a young core of centers, Li Meng and Li Yuan.

Renowned as a hard taskmaster, Xu's tough love in training soon paid off when the Chinese squad reclaimed the Asian Games gold medal in 2018, having lost it to host South Korea at the 2014 edition.

Xu's influence has seen Han and Li Yueru, both measuring over 2 meters tall, develop a softer shooting touch and a more dynamic defensive range－qualities which soon attracted the attention of the WNBA.

Selected by the New York Liberty at 14th overall in the 2018 WNBA Draft, Han, 21, featured in 18 games off the bench during the 2019 season, averaging 3 points and 0.8 rebounds in 7.9 minutes of action. She opted out from the single-site WNBA season last year to join China's Olympic program.

Li Yueru, 22, was picked 35th by the Atlanta Dream in the same year but chose to stay in the domestic league.

With no international warm-ups to play due to the pandemic, Xu turned to the men's domestic scene, organizing five tuneup games against youth teams from the CBA league and Beijing Sport University.

"We've been playing against the boys for so long that I've almost forgotten what the other girls look like," said point guard Yang Liwei, who led Inner Mongolia to the 2020-21 WCBA championship.

"The best thing playing the boys is that we can handle tougher physical confrontations and have our confidence boosted by beating them in some games.

"Credit also goes to our men's training partners who tried to emulate the tactics and styles of our group opponents in Tokyo, helping us get used to the way they will play offensively and defensively."

3x3 dreams

China will also send its men's and women's 3x3 basketball rosters to the Tokyo Games.

Veteran Zheng Yi has been dropped from the men's squad despite solid performances in the qualifying tournament.

The men's team consists of Hu Jinqiu, Li Haonan, Yan Peng and Gao Shiyan, with Chen Peidong and Liu Hengyi as substitutes.

"In the past few years, Zheng made great contributions to China's 3x3 basketball. He is also ranked third among the top 10 national players. However, considering many aspects, the coaching team ultimately chose Li Haonan and Yan Peng," said head coach Liu Zhen. "Hu Jinqiu is the core of the team, boasting great physical condition and skills."

Liu added that the six European teams will be China's main rivals in Tokyo.

The Chinese women's team consists of Zhang Zhiting, Wan Jiyuan, Yang Shuyu and Wang Lili. Wang Haimei and Li Yingyun have been named as substitutes.

Women's team head coach Xu Jiamin said that selection was not based on age, experience or where the players come from, with the only criteria being their competitiveness on the international stage.