Geelong Venom beat Melbourne Flyers with Chinese import Han Xu
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 24 Oct, 10:02 · Archive
Geelong Venom defeated Melbourne Southside Flyers 74-69 in front of a sell-out crowd, with Chinese basketball star Han Xu making her debut.
Geelong Venom defeated Melbourne Southside Flyers 74-69 in front of their largest ever crowd at a sold-out MicroKeeper Arena on Saturday afternoon. The match marked the debut of Chinese import Han Xu, a 211cm centre who previously played for New York Liberty in the WNBA and won Defensive Player of the Season with the Perth Lynx. Xu played after just two practice sessions with Geelong.
Geelong's preparation was hampered by injuries to key players. Bec Cole was ruled out with a lower leg issue, while Maddy Rocci, who scored 33 points in the opening round, was pulled just hours before tip-off with a foot problem.
Han Xu made an immediate impact, scoring on her opening basket 15 seconds after the opening jump. However, Melbourne's Hannah Hank limited her effectiveness by playing physical defence, forcing Xu to concede her third foul halfway through the second quarter. Coach Sam Mackinnon said Hank 'just competes every possession' and did 'a really good job' of limiting Xu's impact around the basket. Xu's presence opened up space for teammate Lilly Rotunno to dominate.
How it is being reported
- Flyers fall to Chinese Venom in front of sell-out crowdGeelong Venom's two star players went missing on the cusp of a sold-out stadium game, but the debut of a Chinese giant made it all worthwhile.The West Australian · 24 Oct, 09:38
- Flyers fall to Chinese Venom in front of sell-out crowdGeelong Venom's two star players went missing on the cusp of a sold-out stadium game, but the debut of a Chinese giant made it all worthwhile.Perth Now · 24 Oct, 09:38
In this story: Han Xu · Geelong Venom · Melbourne Southside Flyers · Bec Cole · Maddy Rocci · Hannah Hank · Sam Mackinnon · Lilly Rotunno
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