Jones Cup: Ateno's 30 points and 17 rebounds help Team Chinese Blue win the Jones Cup runner-up

Jones Cup: Ateno's 30 points and 17 rebounds help Team Chinese Blue win the Jones Cup runner-up.

Abasi.

Photo/Basketball Note Every year, the highlight of the Jones Cup is the battle between China and South Korea. This year was no exception, as the two teams had the same record of six wins and one loss before the game. The winner of this game would secure second place in this edition of the Jones Cup.

The first quarter of the game was intense, with the teams evenly matched. Ateno finally shook off yesterday's gloom against the United States and scored 8 points in the paint in the first quarter. Liu Zheng, Abasi, and Lin Tingqian also contributed points, giving Team Chinese Blue a 22-18 lead. In the second quarter, Ateno continued to demonstrate his dominant presence in the paint, scoring 13 points. He achieved a double-double (21 points, 11 rebounds) with five minutes remaining in the first half. Liu Zheng also made two fast breaks, passing to Xiang Jun for scores, leading to a 50-36 halftime lead for Team Chinese Blue against Anyang KGC.

In the second half, Team Chinese Blue did not let up on their offensive firepower. They started the third quarter with a 9-0 run, and Abasi's steal and fast break dunk with both hands boosted the team's morale. Liu Zheng's three-pointers and Lin Tingqian's three-point play extended Team Chinese Blue's lead to 31 points, limiting their opponents to only 12 points in this quarter. In the final quarter, Team Chinese Blue continued their dominance, raining down three-pointers and securing an early victory. The final score was 92-64, with Team Chinese Blue finishing with a record of seven wins and one loss, securing second place in the Jones Cup. Ateno dominated the paint in this game, scoring 30 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. It was a completely different performance from the previous game against the United States. Lin Tingqian also contributed 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Liu Zheng had 13 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Zeng Xiangjun had 10 points and 8 rebounds, while Abasi contributed 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Anyang KGC's two foreign players, Maxwell (No. 35) did not play, and Griffin (No. 25) only played for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Gao Canhe scored the highest for the Korean team with 14 points.