Clubbing together for the good of the game

China's top women's sides boosted by launch of continental competition

High-quality drills and a clash of styles on the global stage — an emerging continental club tournament has breathed new life into the talent development of Chinese women's basketball.

From a record-tying runner-up finish at the 2022 FIBA World Cup, to an early exit at the Paris Olympics, China's celebrated women's basketball program has suffered a sharp performance decline on the international stage, with the lack of quality and intensity in the country's domestic league taking a toll on player development.

The inaugural APAC Women's Basketball Challenge, though, has provided Chinese players with much-needed exposure to international competition at club level, with two WCBA teams — Guangdong New Century and Beijing Shougang Great Wall — clashing with South Korea's Seoul Seodaemun and New Zealand's Tokomanawa Queens over four days of round-robin play from Sept 27-30 in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan province.