During a CBA regular season match between Qingdao and Beijing, Beijing's starting center Zhou Qi became dissatisfied with the referee's decision, lost control of his emotions on the court, even clenched his fists in anger, and was ultimately ejected from the game. This incident quickly became a hot topic after the match, with Zhou Qi clenching his fists and attempting to chase down the referee. After reviewing the footage, the reason behind his actions was discovered, leading some to jokingly ask if he thought he was Zhao Rui. The events that unfolded left fans questioning whether Zhou Qi's anger was truly justified. (Please see the article for the GIF.)
The third quarter of the game saw a pivotal moment that became the center of controversy. Zhou Qi was preparing to make a strong offensive move under the basket when he collided with Qingdao's young player Yang Hanshen and fell to the ground. However, the referee did not blow the whistle. Zhou Qi immediately got up and approached the referee to try to communicate. But the referee firmly rejected him with a decisive gesture. Zhou Qi lost his composure and continued to argue with the referee, eventually being called for a technical foul and ejected due to accumulating two technical fouls. The replay clearly shows that Yang Hanshen did indeed move slightly during defense and exerted slight force with his right hand. However, from the referee's perspective, Yang had basically established his defensive position, and Zhou Qi's forced breakthrough did not have a rule advantage. In this situation, it is not unreasonable for the referee to ignore the controversial action. However, Zhou Qi apparently did not see it that way, and his repeated pressure on the referee became the key to his eventual ejection.
After the game, many fans questioned the referee's officiating skills, believing that the missed call was obvious. However, there were also voices pointing out that Zhou Qi had obvious problems with emotional management. On the basketball court, referees' decisions will never satisfy every player, but as professional players, it is crucial to remain calm when facing judgments. "Playing without calmness, in the end, only harms oneself," an old fan lamented. If it were just a single emotional fluctuation, it might still be understandable. However, Zhou Qi has experienced similar incidents before. Looking back at a previous game, Xinjiang player Zhao Rui was also severely punished for losing control of his emotions and verbally abusing the referee. Fans jokingly said, "Arguing with the referee is like arguing with money." The CBA's regulations on technical fouls are never lenient, and this time Zhou Qi not only faces the possibility of suspension but may also be fined.
In fact, this incident also exposed the instability of Zhou Qi's physical and psychological state. The data shows that in this game, Zhou Qi only scored 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks, far below his normal level. In contrast, Qingdao's Yang Hanshen powerfully scored 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in the paint, with particularly outstanding defensive performance. Perhaps it was precisely because of multiple setbacks in direct confrontations that Zhou Qi's emotions gradually spiraled out of control. Of course, the excitement of this game was not limited to Zhou Qi's unexpected departure. Qingdao's Weatherspoon scored the highest of the game with 30 points, contributing 15 assists and 9 rebounds, almost achieving a triple-double, which was impressive. And Yang Hanshen's two blocks at a critical moment in the game firmly secured the victory. On the Beijing side, Jerman worked hard to catch up, scoring 21 points, but unfortunately, one could not defeat four, and the team was unable to reverse the situation in the end.
On the professional stage, controversies over refereeing decisions always exist, and how to deal with these controversies reasonably is a challenge every player must face. As one of the top domestic players, Zhou Qi possesses excellent physical conditions and technical abilities, but his shortcomings in emotional management may become an obstacle to further development in his career. A missed call by the referee is part of the game, but focusing energy on the game itself is the true responsibility of a player. In future games, can Zhou Qi learn from this experience and maintain calmness at critical moments? Let us wait and see.
