Chinese basketball players Yang Shuyu and Wang Siyu demonstrated strong debuts in the Australian WNBL league, scoring 11 points each on Friday.
Yang's team, Sydney Flames, managed to defeat Wang's team, Southside Melbourne Flyers, with a score of 77-73 in the first round of the 2026-27 season.
Yang secured a spot in the starting lineup for the Sydney team and immediately made a significant impact, contributing seven points in her team's first ten points. The 24-year-old athlete made three out of four of her first field goals, which helped the visitors gain an early advantage.
Meanwhile, Wang came off the bench for Southside Melbourne, playing her first match in the Australian league. The experienced Chinese guard quickly made her presence felt by sinking a three-pointer late in the first quarter when Flames led by a narrow margin of 26-25.
The home team took control in the second quarter, leading Sydney 21-11, which gave them a 46-37 lead at halftime. After the break, Southside Melbourne controlled certain moments of the game and once held a 13-point lead, putting pressure on Yang and her teammates.
However, Flames were able to erase some of the deficit in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to four points, and then staged another comeback in the final period. Under the guidance of Lauren Nicholson, who finished the game with the team's best performance—23 points, Sydney eliminated the deficit less than five minutes before the end and remained composed in the final minutes to secure a four-point victory.
Yang scored a total of 11 points and recorded two steals in under 27 minutes on the court. She was particularly effective near the three-point line, making four out of five two-point attempts, although she struggled from long range.
Despite the loss, Wang played productively for the Flyers, scoring 11 points in 26 minutes, making her the top scorer among the bench players. She also added three rebounds, one assist, and two steals, making two out of three shots from beyond the arc.
This match marked an important milestone for both Chinese athletes, as they began their first campaigns in the WNBL. Their performances provided an encouraging start to their overseas trips, as both players made a substantial contribution to the intense first-round contest.