Out of the finals! Zhang Ziyu scored 17 points and 9 rebounds, while the Chinese women's basketball team made only 6 out of 21 three-point attempts, losing to Japan.

On July 19, 2025, during the semifinals of the Asian Cup for women's basketball, the Chinese women's team played against Japan. After four quarters of competition, the Chinese team lost 81-90 to Japan, thus failing to reach the finals. Yang Shuyu scored 19 points with 4 assists, Zhang Ziyu had 17 points and 9 rebounds, and Han Xu added 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.

In the first quarter, Japan capitalized on the continuous mistakes made by the Chinese team, launching a 10-4 run. Luo Xinran hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding for China, and with Zhang Ziyu's inside-outside play, the score was tied. The Chinese women's team increased the intensity of their perimeter defense, forcing Japan into mistakes, and the Chinese team responded with an 8-2 run to take the lead.Miyazawa Yuki's free throw tied the score. Huang Sijing scored a 2+1 in the paint, and Tanaka immediately answered with a three-pointer, ending the first quarter at 27-27. Tanaka scored 21 points in the first quarter, hitting all 5 of her three-point attempts.

In the second quarter, both teams exchanged three-pointers, keeping the score tied. Then, Japan launched a 7-0 run, causing the Chinese team to become anxious on both offense and defense. Zhai Ruoyun hit a long-range shot to stop the momentum, and Han Xu added 2 points with a turnaround jumper in the paint. The Chinese team’s twin-tower lineup was not effective, as Japan exploited defensive gaps for fast breaks. Zhang Ziyu dominated inside, scoring three consecutive baskets, bringing the teams back to a tie. At the end of the quarter, Yang Shuyu drew a foul and made both free throws, giving China a 51-49 lead over Japan.

In the second half, Han Xu hit a long-range shot, and Japan responded with a three-pointer. Japan closed the gap with mid-range shots near the free-throw line and then took the lead with another three-pointer. Huang Sijing committed a flagrant foul against Tanaka, giving Japan the chance to extend their lead. Japan hit consecutive three-pointers, increasing their advantage to 9 points. In a crucial moment, Yang Shuyu contributed offensively and defensively to help the Chinese team break their scoring drought. Wang Siyu drew a foul while driving, and Zhang Ru and Han Xu forced their opponents to commit fouls consecutively under the basket. At the end of the third quarter, the Chinese team trailed Japan 65-73.

In the final quarter, Zhang Ziyu made free throws to close the gap, Han Xu hit a mid-range jumper for another 2 points, and Yang Shuyu continued to score, leading to a 5-0 run for China. After Japan went scoreless for four possessions, they struck back with a three-pointer. Han Xu and Yang Shuyu kept scoring, reducing the deficit to 3 points. Japan hit another three-pointer from the corner, and Zhang Ziyu answered with a basket inside. In the decisive moments, the Chinese team's offensive options remained limited, allowing Japan to extend their lead to 10 points. Han Xu made a three-pointer, but it ultimately didn’t change the outcome, as the Chinese women’s team lost 81-90 to Japan.