113-104, Fujian men's basketball team pulled off a surprise victory against Xinjiang men's basketball team, securing a crucial win. In this highly anticipated match, both teams were locked in a tight battle, with Fujian relying on a strong third quarter to turn the tide. Zeng Lingxuan and Joseph Young scored consecutively to overtake their opponents, and in the final quarter, Xinjiang's attempts to catch up were unsuccessful, allowing Fujian to ultimately claim victory. In this matchup, Luis King contributed 26 points and 13 rebounds, while Joseph Young also scored 34 points with 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. Zeng Lingxuan also managed 15 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals. However, what was most gratifying was Zou Yang's performance, as he contributed 13 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals, becoming the invisible hero behind Fujian's upset victory. Looking back at the previous draft, it seems that Zou Yang was indeed seriously underestimated.
Zou Yang played for 34 minutes in this game, shooting 6 out of 10 from the field, including 1 out of 1 from three-point range, scoring 13 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals, with an on-court plus-minus value as high as +21, second only to foreign player Joseph Young. The statistics alone cannot fully capture Zou Yang's value and role on the court. In a game they won by 9 points, Zou Yang's plus-minus was as high as +21. According to data analysis, when Zou Yang is on or off the court, Fujian's net points per hundred possessions differ by 15.7 points, which demonstrates his value.
After defeating Xinjiang, Zou Yang updated his social media with the message: "No matter how strong our opponents are, we will never give up!" Despite Fujian's poor record this season, facing the championship favorites Xinjiang, many believed Fujian had no chance of winning. However, under the leadership of Zou Yang, Joseph Young, and others, Fujian staged a remarkable comeback, giving Xinjiang a lesson. As a forward, Zou Yang is excellent on both offense and defense, with outstanding off-ball movement and set three-point shooting on offense, and the ability to initiate counterattacks with the ball. Defensively, he excels in rebounding and timing his steals. Currently, Zou Yang has the potential to become a leader and core figure for Fujian. In just his second season in the CBA, he is gradually showing the qualities of a star player.
So far this season, Zou Yang has played 28 games for Fujian, averaging 34.9 minutes per game, contributing 13.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 48.1% and a three-point percentage of 33.3%, demonstrating very efficient overall performance. Zou Yang is a very dedicated player who can give his all to help the team win. During the offseason, he often trains alone to improve his weaknesses, working on both offense and defense. He hopes to continuously enhance his personal abilities and yearns to help Fujian return to the ranks of playoff teams as soon as possible. Compared to other players who entered the league at the same time, such as Chen Guohao, Fang Jiachen, Lin Yanting, and Du Boxiao, Zou Yang's performance is undoubtedly the most outstanding, and he has been underrated by the outside world.