Changing of the guard

Team China's revamped younger roster tasked with restoring Asian supremacy

Younger and hungrier, China's new-look women's basketball team is on a mission to reconquer Asia.

Once considered the nation to beat in continental competition, Team China has been in steady decline since the retirements of former WNBA players Chen Nan and Miao Lijie, who spearheaded the run to the semifinals of the Beijing Olympics.

Four consecutive losses to Japan since 2013 - including a humiliating 85-50 blowout in the final of the 2015 FIBA Asian Cup - were symptomatic of China's struggles, but now head coach Xu Limin, who took the reins a year ago, is wiping the slate clean.

"The gap between us and the world's best teams, including our main rivals in Asia, is widening and we must rise to the challenge with a long-term vision not to rely on the veterans anymore," Xu said after a recent training session at the national camp in Beijing.

"Rather than setting our sights on winning anything big anytime soon, we're better to focus on more realistic goals to build a team strong enough to outplay Japan, South Korea and even Chinese Taipei every time we meet in Asia."

Xu was an assistant coach when China finished 10th, its worst Olympic showing since 1984, at Rio 2016. He accepted a promotion to head coach last April.

Three months later he realized he had underestimated the enormity of the task after a Japan team without star players Asami Yoshida and Ramu Tokashiki beat China 74-71 in the Asian Cup semis.

"Our Asian neighbors, Japan and South Korea, have outnumbered us in youth participation on campuses and in communities, so it's not strange we don't have enough talent to compete, never mind win," said Xu.