CHANGSHA-HUNAN (2015 FIBA Asia Championship) - China didn’t really break a sweat as they recorded a convincing win over Kazakhstan, 75-62, in Group F action from the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.

Coach Gong Luming’s wards had a strong start in this one, and they managed to sustain the pressure all throughout the game. Not surprisingly, China’s Walking Great Wall got the job done again. Yi Jianlian and Zhou Qi combined to tally 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots. Wingmen Li Gen and Ding Yanyuhang also stepped up, scoring 12 and 10 points respectively as the hosts notched their fourth victory in as many games.

Jerry Johnson tried to carry the fight for the Kazakhs, but he struggled from the field, shooting just 4-of-10 to finish with 11 points. Anatoliy Kolesnikov was the only other Kazakhstan player in double-figures with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.

Turning Point: China came out of the gates guns blazing. Behind the trio of Zhou Qi, Li Gen, and Ding Yanyuhang, China scored the match’s first ten points. That opening salvo set the tone for the game, and Kazakhstan would not be able to recover.

Stats Don't Lie: China was highly efficient from two-point range in this contest, finding success 71.9% of the time they took a shot from within the arc. It helped, of course, that their massive frontline was on-point, and, consequently, they also scored more points in the paint, 38-26.

Game Hero: Veteran big man and former NBA player Yi Jianlian was solid as a rock in this game, scoring 15 points on top of 2 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. He is currently averaging 18.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 block per game, and there’s no sign of slowing him down.

The Bottom Line: Kazkahstan badly needed a win to boost their prospects of advancing to the Quarter-Finals, but, alas, it was not to be against a determined Chinese team. China now hold an overwhelming edge over most other teams in Group F, and it definitely looks like the chances of derailing them are slim to none.

FIBA