From February 8 to 11, 2024, the 2024 FIBA Olympic Women's Basketball Qualifying Tournament in China will be staged at the Shaanxi Provincial Gymnasium, and this game is no less hot than the upcoming Lunar New Year. The ancient city of Xi'an not only ushered in the enthusiasm of the competition, but also gradually was shrouded in the atmosphere of the Spring Festival.
The first to arrive in the ancient city was the New Zealand women's basketball team, who came to this thousand-year-old capital and felt a different atmosphere. From the arrival at the airport to the hotel, there is a translator and staff attentive to take care of all the way. Shaanxi fans were even more enthusiastic, sending Chinese New Year greetings in Chinese and English, and the players responded with smiles, and some even expressed thanks and greetings in simple Chinese and English.
Stella Baker, the main player, was excited about the arrival of Xi'an, saying that it was not her first time in China, but it was her first time in Shaanxi and Xi'an, a city known for its long history and unique cultural charm. In the face of the match with the Chinese women's basketball team, she is full of expectations and said that she hopes to present a wonderful game for Chinese fans.
However, the New Zealand team also faces some challenges. Due to injuries and personal reasons for the main players, their prospects of qualifying are not optimistic. Although the coaching staff emphasised the need to use their existing squad to prepare for the game, the overall strength of the team is relatively inadequate, and the opponents are strong, so they need to work harder in the game.
Although the New Zealand team brought a lot of pressure to the Chinese team through some tactical adjustments in a game last year, they still need to go all out against the Chinese women's basketball team. The Chinese women's basketball team will show the spirit of 12 points in this game, after all, this is also an important appearance for them in the China division of the FIBA Olympic Women's Basketball Qualifying Tournament.