China edges New Zealand to clinch third place in basketball Supercup

BERLIN -- Li Kaier made a crucial interception as China rallied from behind to edge New Zealand 69-68 at the 2023 Basketball Supercup in Hamburg on Sunday.

With just under 10 seconds left, Li, the first naturalized player in Chinese basketball history, snatched New Zealand's inbound pass, allowing the Chinese squad to run down the clock.

Li led China in scoring, laying the foundation for the comeback with 18 points.

New Zealand began strongly, carving out a 22-16 advantage after an evenly matched first quarter.

China bounced back in the second quarter, achieving a 28-27 lead with a 10-0 scoring streak. However, New Zealand responded confidently, finishing the second quarter with a 39-31 lead.

Under the guidance of Aleksandar Djordjevic, China displayed resilience and tightened defense, reducing the deficit to just four points, 54-50, by the end of the third quarter.

With China trailing by two points, 68-66, and only a minute left, Zhang Zhenlin equalized 68-68 with a lay-up. Yanni Wetzell's foul granted China two free throws, of which Zhou Qi made one, giving China a one-point advantage with 27 seconds to go. New Zealand's hopes were dashed when Li's interception secured China's narrow win.

"Really proud of everyone after a tough loss yesterday, just bouncing back and coming out here and competing and playing hard. Obviously, we couldn't let the loss get to us, but the guys battled today. More importantly, we played hard and together. Communicating, being organized, and playing physically has a lot to do with our success today," remarked Li.

"I was hoping for a reaction. We were too impressed by Germany. Sometimes you must play with courage, and that's what happened today. Finally, we got some leading minutes," Djordjevic shared.

"I hope we continue on this trajectory. I hope our precision improves, but we remain composed. This victory means a lot. I'm proud of my team today. We expect physicality in the World Cup, and that's why we're here. It's been a valuable experience," he added.