Sichuan beat Inner Mongolia to retain WCBA title

Sichuan successfully defended its Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) crown in a thrilling showdown, narrowly edging out Inner Mongolia 83-78 in the decisive Game 5 of the WCBA Finals on Monday.

Members of Sichuan celebrate during the awarding ceremony after Game 5 of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) league Finals between Sichuan and Inner Mongolia in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)

Sichuan's Li Meng was honored with the Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP) award.

Inner Mongolia launched a strong start, leading 12-6 early on with 3-pointers from Zhang Qifang and Li Yuan. However, defending champions Sichuan, led by Li Meng and Elizabeth Cambage's layups, quickly closed the gap. Inner Mongolia maintained a slim lead of 41-39 at halftime.

The momentum shifted dramatically in the second half when Inner Mongolia's key player, Jonquel Jones, encountered foul trouble, receiving her fourth foul while attempting to block Cambage. With Jones sidelined, Sichuan capitalized on the opportunity to build a commanding double-digit lead.

Despite a spirited comeback effort led by Zhang Ru's scoring in the fourth quarter, Sichuan remained resilient. Li Meng's clutch 3-pointers extinguished Inner Mongolia's hopes of a late rally, securing the victory for Sichuan as the clock expired.

Cambage delivered a standout performance, scoring a game-high 38 points for Sichuan, with Li Meng contributing 23 points, four assists and two steals, and Han Xu adding 13 points and five rebounds.

For Inner Mongolia, Jones led the team with 23 points, supported by Zhang Ru with 18 points and Li Yuan with 16 points.

Following the intense contest, Li Meng expressed gratitude to the team's fans and said she hoped the thrilling final would inspire more girls to embrace basketball.

After the packed season, star center Han said she would like to rest first. "I'm happy for the title we won, we are definitely going after more," said Han, who was on China's roster for the Chengdu Universiade, the Hangzhou Asian Games and the Olympic qualifying tournament, adding "But for now, I'm very tired of all the events I played in last season, I need to have a body check in the hospital."