Zhang Boyuan scored 21 points and Chen Jiazhen added 19 points with 4 rebounds; China’s U19 men’s basketball team narrowly lost to New Zealand, missing out on the quarterfinals.

On July 2nd Beijing time, during the U19 Men’s Basketball World Cup knockout round, China competed against New Zealand. After four quarters, China was defeated 86-99 by New Zealand and missed the chance to enter the quarterfinals. Chinese players Zhu Zheng recorded 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists; Zhang Boyuan scored 21 points and grabbed 3 rebounds; Chen Jiazhen had 19 points and 4 rebounds; Xun Sinan contributed 16 points and 5 rebounds.

In the opening quarter, Zhu Zheng and Chen Jiazhen combined their scoring efforts as China began with a 6-0 run. However, New Zealand responded strongly with outside shooting, going on an 11-0 run. Chen Jiazhen scored a layup to stop the bleeding, but China struggled to maintain offensive momentum, while New Zealand attacked inside and out, hitting four three-pointers in the quarter and leading 24-13. In the second quarter, New Zealand extended their lead with a 7-0 run. Zhang Boyuan and Zhu Zheng used their individual skills to narrow the gap, but New Zealand capitalized on Chinese turnovers to score fast-break points, pushing the lead to 20. Chen Jiazhen and Yang Yi combined shooting and free throws to spark a small rally, reducing the deficit. At halftime, China trailed New Zealand 37-52.

In the second half, Feng Ao, Wang Hongze, and Zhu Zheng scored consecutively, cutting the deficit to single digits. New Zealand stopped the momentum with long-range shots, but Zhang Boyuan immediately answered with a layup for two points. Then China’s perimeter defense faltered again, allowing New Zealand to shoot freely from outside and stretch the lead back into double digits. Later in the quarter, China went on a small scoring run to catch up, forcing New Zealand to call a timeout. After the break, Zhu Zheng tied the game, but New Zealand responded with a 5-point streak. At the end of the third quarter, New Zealand led China 77-72. In the final quarter, New Zealand scored four straight points to widen the gap, while Zhu Zheng hit a strong three-pointer in response. China missed two consecutive alley-oop attempts, and the lead grew to double digits again. Near the end, China launched a furious comeback, scoring 9 unanswered points. However, despite the momentum, the young Chinese players became a bit overexcited and missed several good offensive opportunities, allowing New Zealand to counterattack repeatedly. Ultimately, China lost 86-99 to New Zealand and failed to advance to the quarterfinals.