Beilun training camp for the men’s basketball team opens to the public for the first time; Zhou Qi returns

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Tencent Sports, Beilun, May 26 (Reporter: Chen Yueze) On May 26, Beijing time, the Chinese men’s basketball team opened its closed training camp in Beilun, Ningbo, to the media for the first time. Multiple media outlets from Beijing, Shanghai, and Ningbo itself went to the training base for interviews. On this day, Zhou Qi, who had just returned to the country, officially rejoined the team and participated in training, while another center player, Yi Jianlian, went to Guangdong for personal reasons and thus missed training. The training that day started at 9 a.m.; after some simple warm-ups and stretching, it began with strength training. After that, tactical drills were conducted for some time, and these drills were not open to the media. After that, the team divided the players by position, placing the defenders, forwards, and centers in three separate areas, where Hu Xuefeng, Cui Wanjun, and Li Nan conducted individual training. Gong Luming, the head coach of the Chinese men’s basketball team, walked back and forth across the three courts to observe, stopping from time to time beside the players to give them advice on the techniques involved in their movements. The training for the defense team focuses mainly on quick stop jump shots after dribbling to get away from opponents, as well as those taken after using screen plays. The forwards focused on shooting practice under disruption and physical contact, while the interior players trained intensively on the footwork needed for offensive plays in the paint as well as shooting from medium range. The entire training session lasted about two and a half hours. After the training, a few players even competed in mid-court shooting, and the atmosphere throughout the team was very relaxed. It is understood that the training in Beilun is divided into two sessions per day, in the morning and afternoon. The morning sessions do not involve much competitive intensity; they are mainly focused on practicing techniques and tactics. The afternoon training sessions are mostly competitive, real-life-style drills, and the coaching staff also requires athletes to warm up by doing footwork before participating in these competitive exercises, in order to better prevent injuries. According to the team’s plan, after every three and a half days of training, the players are given half a day to rest and recover. Yesterday afternoon was the half-day when the team suspended training. Many players choose to soak in ice baths to relieve muscle and physical fatigue. Zhou Qi, who had just returned to the team, also participated in this morning’s training. Although the intensity was not high, Zhou Qi, who still hadn’t fully adjusted to the time difference, admitted that he felt a bit tired. However, Yi Jianlian was not present during training; it is understood that he is temporarily absent from the team’s training as he has gone to Guangdong for some activities. He will also return to the team as soon as possible to participate in joint training.