DONGGUAN (China) - Yang Shuyu couldn't be any more blessed to feel some sense of home once more in her bid to achieve glory in the ongoing FIBA Women's Basketball League Asia (WBL Asia) 2025.
The 23-year-old is competing side-by-side with her older sister, Yang Liwei, in the international arena yet again - just like what they've done numerous times in the past while representing China in FIBA competitions.
"Playing alongside my sister has been my very first goal since I started basketball. Fighting together makes me feel assured and in sync," she said. "I [always look] forward to competing side by side with her."
Shuyu, who's seven years younger, has always been vocal of how much she adores Liwei - she's always the proudest whenever her "jiejie" accomplishes a feat, just like when she made it to the WNBA in 2023.
"My sister, on and off the court she's always been my beacon," she said in a story by FIBA 3x3.
But there should be no doubt that she's the happiest - and Liwei feels the same, for sure - whenever they play and succeed together, whether it is in the WCBA or, as mentioned above, in the global hoops scene.
The two of them have reached some of the game's grandest stages, which includes the Summer Olympic Games when they played for Team Dragon in Paris just last year that's highlighted by a victory over Puerto Rico.
Arguably their biggest achievement to date, though, was helping China end a 12-year title drought in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2023, winning the tilt via five-game sweep for the country's 12th gold overall.
Most recently, the Yang sisters won the 2024-25 WCBA championship when they helped the Guangdong Vermillion Birds win it all by ousting Sichuan Yuanda Meile from their reign, 3-1, in the best-of-5 Finals.
Liwei was instrumental in their 81-65 Game 5 clincher as she fired 20 points. Same goes with Shuyu, who finished with 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists to cap off a solid series for her to eventually net Finals MVP honors.
"This honor encouraged me and recognized all the hard work I put in last season, including the preparation before it," said Shuyu, who's also an Olympic 3x3 medalist after helping China to the bronze in 2021 in Tokyo.
"I will keep working hard and be ready for the next challenge," she added.
That challenge at the moment is the WBL Asia, in which the team, carrying the Dongguan New Century banner, competes as among the favorites given that the premier Asian women's club contest is in their own turf.
Needless to say, hoisting the WBL Asia trophy is a scenario that both Shuyu and Liwei would want to see happen, although it's not lost on them that it'd be easy as they're aware of how tough the competition is.
But so far, the two are in a good position of turning that dream into reality. Dongguan finished the Group Phase unscathed after beating the Ulaanbaatar Amazons and Cathay Life to sweep their way into the Semi-Finals.
Thus, the confidence especially on the part of Shuyu, who has been averaging 13.0 points on 50-percent shooting from the floor alongside 2.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and a block in 31.7 minutes of action.
"We will definitely fight to win the honor on our homecourt," vowed the 1.83 M (6'0") winger. "I believe our whole team is full of determination and energy to face every upcoming game."
FIBA