On June 8th, Huaqiao University (HQU) Men’s Basketball Team narrowly lost to Beijing Sport University (BSU) 74:79 at home. It was the opening game of the 26th CUBAL (Chinese University Basketball League) quarterfinals.

At HQU’s Lin Shuzhen Gymnasium on Quanzhou Campus, the host team got off to a good start 14:6 through active offense and quick counterattacks. BSU quickly closed the gap by double-teaming and pressing. HQU then drew afoul in the paint and maintained their lead. Towards the end of the first quarter, BSU scored both inside and outside the paint, narrowing the score to just 1 point. In the second quarter, Zhang Gaoming’s three-pointer helped HQU start with a 5:0 run. Although the visiting team was on the defensive throughout, they kept the score close. By half time, HQU led BSU 37:32.

In the second half, led by their captain Xie Zhijie, BSU caught up and took the lead with a 13:5 run. HQU responded by drawing fouls continuously, and managed to trail by 6 points in the third quarter. BSU opened the fourth quarter with a 10:2 run, extending their lead to double digits and dominating throughout. In the dying minutes, HQU fought tenaciously, shooting three-pointers and drawing fouls on three-point attempts, ultimately narrowing the gap to 5 points. The game ended 74:79.

BSU will host the second-leg clash at 7 p.m. on June 14th. The team with more points accumulated will advance to the semifinals.

This is HQU’s first on-campus home game in CUBAL. HQU students, faculty, and alumni cheered and clapped to show their excitement and support. After the game, a retirement ceremony was held for Li Shun, Liu Shi, and Zheng Xiaogang. The three players were presented with retired jerseys. The spectators lit up the stadium with phone flashlights to pay tribute.

Fierce Battle

Fans Cheering

Retirement Ceremony for Three HQU Players

(Editor: Wei Linying)