The "three no" Youth Army won silver in the Asian Cup, and the long dark night of the Chinese men s basketball team finally saw the dawn

There are no superstars, no naturalized players, and no rich experience. As coach Guo Shiqiang said, this "three-no" version of the Chinese men's basketball youth team "made a bloody path" in the Asian Cup, and topped the runner-up podium with an outstanding record of five wins and one loss.

Faced with the Australian team, which had never lost in the Asian Cup, the Chinese team was entangled with their opponents until the last moment and lost 89 to 90. Although the Asian Cup is no longer as valuable as before and the surprise expectations of the finals have not been fulfilled, returning to the final stage after ten years has become like a ray of dawn, shining into the long dark night of the Chinese men's basketball team.

Looking back at the Asian Cup journey, working together is the most distinctive feature of this young men's basketball team. The 12 players perform their own duties and release themselves when the team needs them.

Going back with unfinished dreams, Zhao Rui and Hu Jinqiu play the role of "Dinghai Shen Needle". The tears that surging several times are the declaration of the two veterans "Drinking ice for ten years, it is hard to have a cold and passionate blood." During the summer vacation, Wang Junjie, a 20-year-old young player who was wearing the national team's shirt for the first time, has proved with his strength that he is the "all-round answer" that has been missing on the front line for a long time. After experiencing ups and downs, Yu Jiahao and Hu Mingxuan can still work hard to achieve highlights; a number of new stars such as Zhu Junlong and Cheng Shuipeng have also found their respective positions in their actual combat experience.

"We are a team, and there is no distinction between starting and substitute. Only when more people stand up can the team go further." More than once, captain Zhao Rui attributed the team's achievements to team basketball. "Just as the national anthem sang, the more dangerous and difficult it is, the more everyone should move forward. It is not just one person to move forward, but the whole team will move forward together. Only when it is constantly breaking through itself in difficulties can Chinese basketball get better and better."

The extremely cohesive team atmosphere, the determination to win and the immortal fighting spirit in the fierce battle on the field. The change in mental outlook and game temperament is the starting point for the Chinese men's basketball team to get out of the trough. In terms of technical and tactical aspects, although the Chinese men's basketball team still has many pain points and bottlenecks in protecting the basket and breaking joint defense, their determination to catch up with the world is already visible.

The speed-up offensive and defensive rhythm, the hot outside feel, and the ability and willingness to handle the ball, keeping the focus on defense until the last second - all are gratifying progress. With the return of players such as Yang Hansen, Zhou Qi, Zeng Fanbo, and Cui Yongxi, the Chinese men's basketball team that has been further strengthened is worth looking forward to. After years of "left behind", the Chinese men's basketball team cannot be reborn in the short term, and the Asian Cup is ultimately just a "training class". Compared with the ranking of the record, calibration continues to move forward and allows young players to gain practical experience is undoubtedly a more valuable gain.

"In such a fierce game and under such great pressure, the players' thoughts and psychology have been greatly improved and trained." As Guo Shiqiang said, finding the right track is the top priority. "Continue to work hard and go on the right way, which is very important."

The Chinese men's basketball team, which is aiming to revive, has not only aimed at the Asian Cup podium, but to pursue their dreams again on the world stage. Facing the dawn of the Asian Cup, the Chinese men's basketball team still has a long way to go, and we look forward to the continuous rise of the curve of striving to climb.