Photo: VCG

China's national basketball team secured their second group stage win after overpowering India 100-69 at the FIBA Asian Cup held in Saudi Arabia on Thursday. 

Hu Mingxuan bounced back from a quiet previous game where he scored just 2 points, delivering a strong performance with 17 points and 2 assists, including 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.

Zhao Jiayi came from the bench to also tally 17 points and 3 rebounds. China drained a total of 15 three-pointers, with all 12 players contributing to the scoreboard.

Forward Wang Junjie, who plays for the University of San Francisco in the NCAA Division I, continued his hot form to lift China to a 17-6 lead in the first half. China extended the lead to 22 points before the halftime break. Thanks to the height advantage and dominance in rebounds, China wore down India and pocketed a comfortable win. Center Hu Jinqiu, the 2024-25 CBA regular-season MVP, had 10 points and 10 rebounds. 

China will fight for the top spot in the group and a better position in the knockout stage against Jordan in the last group game on Saturday, a clash that could play a crucial role in China's push to reach the Asia Cup semifinals for the first time in 10 years. 

As the most successful team in the tournament's history with 16 titles, China has fallen short in the last two tournaments, bowing out in the quarterfinals on both occasions. The most recent title was in 2015 when China dethroned the Philippines 78-67 in Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province. 

The bench players got plenty of play time as India didn't pose any serious challenges in this group game, which is good for China to prepare for the game against Jordan, Liu Yu, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

Wang has emerged as one of China's breakout players in this tournament, bringing versatility and a scoring ability that have added new dimensions to the team's offensive options, Liu noted. 

When summarizing the reasons for the win against India, head coach Guo Shiqiang said after the game that the team showed strong execution throughout the game and they achieved better balance between offense and defense compared to the first match. The high three-point shooting percentage is a result of consistent practice in training.

Unlike India, Jordan is more experienced and physical. China will need to stay composed, especially if the game goes down to the wire, Liu said. 

In the first group game on Tuesday, China ­survived a scare to defeat host Saudi Arabia 93-88. 

Captain Zhao Rui told the CCTV News earlier that the goal for China in this tournament is to stand on the podium. "That's what the Chinese men's basketball team needs most right now," he said. 

China is missing centers Zhou Qi and Yang Hansen in this tournament. Yang is currently focused on his development with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, while Zhou is out due to injury.

Now in its 31st edition, the tournament stands as the premier men's basketball championship in Asia and Oceania, featuring 16 teams - including reigning champions Australia.