Asian Games: China stay unbeaten in basketball competition as quarterfinalists confirmed
Nagoya (Japan): China completed a perfect group-stage campaign in the 2026 Asian Games men’s basketball tournament with a 105-61 rout of defending champion the Philippines on Monday, as the quarterfinal lineup was confirmed.
China seized control from the opening tip, using quick ball movement and fast breaks to build a 36-16 lead after the first quarter.
The gap continued to grow in the second period as China outscored the Philippines 30-14 to take a commanding 66-30 advantage into halftime, reports Xinhua.
The Philippines slowed China’s offense in the third quarter but never threatened a comeback as China cruised to their third win in as many games.
Wang Junjie led all scorers with 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Liao Sanning added 14 points, and Hu Mingxuan scored 13, while seven China players finished in double figures. Cui Yongxi also posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
The victory came three years after China suffered a 76-77 semifinal defeat to the Philippines at the 2022 Asian Games, although China head coach Guo Shiqiang had played down talk of revenge before Monday’s game.
“We prepare seriously for every opponent and respect every opponent,” Guo said. “For us, this is simply another group game. We will be fully prepared and go all out.”
Earlier on Monday, Bahrain defeated Kazakhstan 101-78 to finish second in Group C with a 2-1 record.
The Philippines finished with one win and two losses and failed to advance as one of the two best third-placed teams, bringing their Asian Games title defense to an early end.
The quarterfinals will be played at Aichi International Arena on September 16. China face Saudi Arabia, South Korea take on Jordan, Iran meet Bahrain, and host Japan play Chinese Taipei in the last eight stage.