BEIJING, Jan. 18 -- Two-time defending champions Beijing and runners-up in the regular season Xinjiang are regarded as the favourites to take the 2017-2018 Women's Chinese Basketball Association championship.
Beijing recorded 21 wins and suffered only 5 defeats in 26 rounds to take first place in the regular season which ended on Wednesday, and took an important step toward realize their dream of three consecutive titles.
"I'm proud of these players, they did well in the 26 rounds. If they can draw out the advantage in regular season, no one can beat us," said Zhang Yunlong, head coach of Beijing.
Beijing has the most powerful Chinese players, including Shao Ting, Gao Song and Shi Xiufeng. They all averaged more than 12 points per game in the regular season. But 32 year-old Sylvia Fowles, MVP of the 2017 WNBA Finals who averaged 20.7 points and 12.3 rebounds in the regular season, was the most aggressive player for the team.
Two of Beijing's five losses were to Xinjiang, who lost only one more game than Beijing in the regular season.
Xinjiang were runners-up and third place in the last two seasons, and they were the most powerful team this season. Shooting guard Wang Lili and Qiu Siyue returned from their injuries, and 31-year-old Candace Parker, former player of the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, returned in time to help Xinjiang go on an eight-game winning streak.
"Our coach and my teammates give me great confidence, and I become more and more mature," said 26-year-old Wang Lili, who averaged 18.6 points per game in the regular season.
"I paid more attention on defence and rebounds last season and didn't play a key role in attack. I'm more confident in this season, so I contributed more on attack," said 21-year-old Dilana, the 1.93-meter tall center for Xinjiang who averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
The third and fourth-placed teams Shanxi and Shanghai were also powerful contenders for the championship.
Shanxi bagged 19 wins and 7 defeats in the regular season. 23-year-old Jonquel Jones, known as the "female LeBron James," who played for the Connecticut Suns in the WNBA previously, averaged 28.8 points and 18.3 rebounds to help Shanxi reach the top of scoring and rebounds list.
Shanghai bagged 18 wins and 8 defeats in the regular season. 23-year-old Breanna Stewart, the first overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft, returned from her injuries this season, and averaged 28.9 points and 11.8 rebounds.
The quarterfinal fixtures in the playoffs are as follows: Beijing will play Zhejiang, Xinjiang will square against Guangdong, Shanxi will play Heilongjiang, and Shanghai will face off against Jiangsu.
Traditional powerhouses Bayi and Shenyang Army, who lacked international players, did not make the playoffs.