WCBA 5/2008 - Jiangsu 70, Beijing 64

One of the joys of overseas play is that you get to see your favorite players play against their own teammates on a semi-regular basis. This WCBA match in Jiangsu would be a meeting between "foreign aid" players Ann Strother (Jiangsu) and Jennifer Lacy (Beijing) - two players who haven't played against each other since Indiana played Phoenix in the 2007 WNBA season. This time, Ann Strother's team would get the win as Jiangsu beat Beijing 70-64, leaving Jiangsu at 3-2 and Beijing at 2-3 in the WCBA.

The translated boxscore is here.

It appears that Jiangsu got off to a great start, leading 50-34 at the half. However, Jiangsu would only score 20 points in the second half and spend the rest of the game fighting back a potential comeback from Beijing. If you look at Jiangsu's by-the-quarter numbers, you can hear the air leaking from a tire, with Jiangsu stumbling across the finish line by scoring only seven points in the fourth quarter.

Without a game writeup, all one has to look at are the boxscores. Jiangsu would outperform Beijing in field goal percentage 47 percent to 37 percent - Beijing managed to hit seven more three points shots that Jiangsu hit, helping Bejing to keep the score close with their outside shooting game. Jiangsu also dominated Beijing on the boards, 48-36, and picking up five more offensive rebounds.

Both teams made the same number of turnovers. Beijing was also able to pick up five more points at the free throw line. If you look at the free throw stats, don't burst out into laughter. Jiangsu was 2-for-7 from the free throw line, 28 percent. Beijing was 7-for-12, at 58 percent. When your opponents are shooting that poorly at the free throw line, you should be playing the final minutes as if you were a bulldozer in heat, knocking players over like tenpins. ("They're not going to hit their shots anyway!")

For Jiangsu, it was a great game for Xu Song, who had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Five players would score in double figures for Jiangsu, including Ann Strother, who matched Xu Song's 15 points and had six rebounds of her own. Bian Lan came very close to a triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Looking over to the Beijing squad, Zhang Wei (there are four "Zhangs" on this team) led all players with 19 points, followed by Zhang Fan with 11 points. As for Jennifer Lacy, she would only play 18 minutes, scoring eight points and six rebounds.

Pictures will come when - and if - they can be found.