The Beijing men's basketball team suffered a disappointing 17-point comeback at the hands of the Guangsha team. The game was a heartbreaker for Beijing, as they had appeared to have the victory in their grasp after three quarters, with both their form and momentum seemingly superior to that of Guangsha. However, the fourth quarter proved to be a disaster, with the team's performance falling apart despite their preference for playing with a single foreign player. Coach Xu Limin's decision to field a lineup consisting of one foreign player and four domestic players, or even an all-Chinese squad, which should have been well-suited to the final quarter, ultimately led to a disappointing outcome.
The responsibility for the dramatic reversal lies squarely on the shoulders of head coach Xu Limin, whose tactics have drawn comparisons to those of Xinjiang team coach Liu Wei, leading to him receiving the brunt of criticism post-game. In the post-match press conference, Xu's comments sparked further controversy when he stated:
"Firstly, it's somewhat regrettable that we controlled the entire situation today, only to be overtaken in the final quarter. We made some adjustments, but overall, I believe we performed exceptionally well throughout the game. Despite the difficulties of playing away and our current shortage of players, the team put in a great effort and remained united. We achieved a high level of performance in both offense and defense. Today's performance was excellent, and although the result is disappointing, it cannot be denied that we played a very good game and everyone worked very hard."
Xu's remarks echo those of former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, suggesting that he may be following a similar path. This is not the first time he has made such statements; after losing to Shandong last time, he claimed that they were actually the winners, a statement that defied logic.
Interestingly, the Beijing media also expressed satisfaction with the team's performance and supported Xu Limin's coaching abilities. They highlighted how the team managed to maintain a lead for three quarters, primarily due to the opponent's fatigue and the team's ability to slow down the pace of the game, negating the absence of key players like Chen Yingjun and Zeng Fanbo. The team effectively defended against pick-and-rolls, compressed the space for Sun Minghui and Brown in set plays, and capitalized on their strengths in ball rotation and offensive rebounds. However, in the fourth quarter, the opponent changed their tempo, with Sun stepping up his efforts. The lack of a key player in the single foreigner lineup became evident, and the team was quickly caught up by the opposition. In the decisive stages, the team's offense showed signs of fatigue, with the twin towers managing to hold off the opposition for a few rounds, but the execution of crucial shots became sluggish, compounded by some hurried mistakes, ultimately leading to their defeat.
Despite the setback, the team fought valiantly against the top team with an incomplete roster, and while it is a pity to have lost after seeing the light of victory, their efforts are commendable.