REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - Chinese basketball leaders made headlines in May with the naming of two different national team pools for senior level competitions ahead of their home FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019. After watching China Blue finish fifth at the FIBA Asia Cup 2017, China Red impressed in their first opportunity in the first World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

Four players scored in double figures and four more had at least eight points as China breezed to their opening win in Group A, 96-44 over Hong Kong at home.

But China's second victory was much more impressive, taking over the game in the third quarter and running away with a 92-81 win against arch rivals Korea - and that coming in Korea.

Whereas all 12 Chinese players scored against Hong Kong, China Red coach Li Nan wanted the ball in his leaders' hands against Korea - only six players scoring with Ding Yanyuhang tallying 30 points, Sun Minghui picking up 21, Wang Zhelin chipping in 16 and Abudushalamu Abudurexiti adding 15 points for a total of 82 points from the quartet.

The was a good performance as the members of China Red look to make the China 2019 team. Ding and Wang both played at the Olympic Basketball Tournament 2016 in Rio while Sun was on China's team at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2015 and the East Asian Basketball (EABA) 2017 Championship. 

Abudurexiti meanwhile is a bit of an unknown internationally as he played his first games in a China jersey. But the 21-year-old has had his share of success, winning the FIBA Asia Champions Cup title and the CBA title last season with Xinjiang Flying Tigers.

Sun Minghui stepped up big in the first Asian Qualifiers, scoring 21 points with four assists and three rebounds in the win over Korea.

Wang and Ding were expected to be the leaders of this China Red team, especially because of their experience and the fact that Qi Zhou is not with the team as he plays in the NBA with the Houston Rockets. But Sun is a good example that these China Red and China Blue pools are not set in stone - much to the benefit of the competition for spots on the China 2019 team.

Sun was one of five players along with Dong Hanlin, Mugedaer Xirelijiang, Shi Yi and Shen Zijie who were not included in the original 21-player China Red pool. It shows that Coach Li wants to see what he has in his young players - Sun and Shi both being 21 years old and Shen just 20 years.

Dong Hanlin was not included in the original pool for China Red for the Asian Qualifiers. But he worked his way onto the team and produced.

Not having Qi at the Qualifiers was a bit of a downer for guys like Abudurexiti and Sun as they have never played with him in a FIBA competition - and the Rockets big man is all but a lock to play at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019. Abudurexiti and Sun and co meanwhile will not be playing in the February Qualifiers as China Red hand over the baton to China Blue for the games at home against New Zealand and at Hong Kong.

China Red definitely passed their test and now it will be up to China Blue, which will likely be led by Guo Ailun, Yi Jianlian and Hu Jinqiu, to step up - with the main challenge coming at home against New Zealand.

Yi Jianlian did not play at the FIBA Asia Cup 2017, where Du Feng's China Blue lost to Australia in the Quarter-Finals and ended up beating hosts Lebanon for fifth place.

Chinese basketball officials originally said back in May that China Blue would play the June/July 2018 and November 2018 Qualifiers as well before the two squads will be merged into the team that will compete at home from August 31-September 15 in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019. But it would seem that China Red still would get at least one more chance to prove themselves.

After the showing against Korea on the road in the first Qualifiers, Ding, Sun and co definitely deserve the opportunity to make their case for China 2019.

This whole split Chinese national team also makes the Asian Qualifiers that much more interesting. February cannot come soon enough.

David Hein

FIBA

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