In Europe in April, spring is in full swing. However, at this season, Li Yueru, a national player of the Chinese women's basketball team, did not taste the joy of victory. In the just-concluded Women's European Basketball Championship final, she led the Turkish powerhouse Besiktas, and finally lost to the London Lions of England with a total score of 81-70, missing the opportunity to win the championship. After the game, Li Yueru complained on social media that the referee's punishment was too harsh, and even bluntly said that "even if the referee blows 3 players and 1 coach out of the field, we have to leave the suspense until the end." This sentence seems to reveal the regret and helplessness in her heart.
As a Chinese player representing the club in the European Championship final for the first time, Li Yueru's journey can be called magnificent. From the regular season all the way to the finals, she and her teammates went through many difficulties and finally missed the championship at a critical moment. However, when the final scene of the European Cup finally came to an end, Li Yueru's heart was full of mixed emotions.
What has Li Yueru experienced this season? Why is she so dissatisfied with the referee's decision in the final? In the face of the regrettable runner-up result, how does she view her performance and the way out in the future? Let's walk into the story of Li Yueru and feel her ups and downs in this tough battle.
grew up from a novice to a national player
In the long history of the Chinese women's basketball team, Li Yueru can definitely be regarded as a rising star. Born in Fujian, a traditional basketball powerhouse, she has shown extraordinary talent since she was a child.
As a guard, Li Yueru's scoring ability and organizational skills are excellent, and she often dominates school basketball games and wins numerous honors for the Fujian team. In 2016, she was selected for the national U18 women's basketball training team with her outstanding performance, and since then she has started her national team journey. In the following years, she was selected for the national U19 women's basketball team and the national women's basketball team, and gradually grew into a main player.
In 2021, Li Yueru represented the national women's basketball team for the first time in the Tokyo Olympics, and played well in the group stage, winning a valuable victory for the Chinese team. This also marks her official transformation from a "little white" to a national player, and people have high hopes for her, and there is speculation about whether she can become the core of the national team in the future.
But like all elite athletes, Li Yueru's upbringing has not been smooth sailing. In training and competitions, she often encountered various difficulties and setbacks, such as poor tactical execution, physical inability to keep up, and excessive fouls. These issues have hindered her progress for a while and have left the coaching staff with some concerns about her future.
Fortunately, Li Yueru was not defeated by these setbacks, but worked harder to make up for her own shortcomings. She took the initiative to consult with her coaches, trained diligently, and often watched videos to analyze her performance and strive to improve her skills. With the help of her coach and teammates, she gradually overcame her previous difficulties and became better and better in the national team competition.
Finally, in 2022, Li Yueru ushered in a major turning point in her life and career - she was selected to join Besiktas in Turkey's top league, which is undoubtedly the perfect opportunity for her career to take off.
The road to the European Championship final
For Li Yueru, this trip to the European Cup is undoubtedly a new challenge.
As a Turkish Super League powerhouse, Besiktas are quite strong in the European Championship and have previously won against strong opponents in the group stage. And Li Yueru, as the team's foreign aid, shoulders the heavy responsibility of leading the team to the championship.
In the regular season, the performance of the Besiktas team was quite good indeed. With the team's hard work, they eliminated the defending champion UMMC of Russia and the host Turkey team BOTAŞ to reach the final. This undoubtedly made Li Yueru and her teammates full of confidence, and they all said that they would go all out in the final and win the first championship of the season.
However, when the curtain finally opened on the final, things were not all smooth sailing. Besiktas, who led by 20 points at home at one point, looked to have seized the title chance. But when it came to the away game, their performance was clearly affected by the referee.
Throughout the game, the referee was particularly strict with the Besiktas team, with three players and one coach being sent off the field for excessive fouls. Among them, Li Yueru suffered such a fate - she ate 3 fouls in the first half and could not give full play. At the last moment, she was forced to leave the court because of her accumulation of 5 fouls and was unable to participate in the team's final counterattack.
In Li Yueru's view, such referee enforcement undoubtedly seriously affected the team's performance. Even so, they managed to close the gap to four points at the last minute, showing their tenacious will to fight. "Even if the referee blows three players and one coach off the field, we have to save the suspense until the end. This sentence just expresses Li Yueru's inner regret and unwillingness.
Although she could only settle for second place in the end, Li Yueru was not satisfied with her performance this season. On social media, she admitted that it had been a rewarding season, but also admitted that her foul issues at key moments still need to be improved. For the team's loss, she did not dump her teammates, but took the initiative to reflect on her own shortcomings, hoping to better contribute to the team in the future.
The future is bright, all the way forward
Although Li Yueru regretted the result of the European Championship final, she is still full of confidence and expectation for the future.
In this season's performance, Li Yueru has shown excellent scoring ability and playmaking skills, and has gradually improved her defensive problems.
Shortly thereafter, Li Yueru will embark on a new basketball journey - she has already confirmed that she will join the WNBA league and become another player to represent China in the world's top women's basketball league. This is undoubtedly another important milestone in her career and will certainly bring new opportunities for her development.
I believe that after the baptism of this European Cup, Li Yueru has greatly enhanced her confidence and determination. On the WNBA stage, she will definitely face more fierce competition, but as long as she maintains a good condition and a positive and enterprising attitude, I believe she will be able to show her skills on a higher platform and add glory to the Chinese women's basketball team.
Not long ago, WNBA teams have publicly expressed their interest in Li Yueru, and have sent high-level executives to Turkey to watch the game in person, hoping to personally 'poach' the young Chinese women's basketball star. In this regard, Li Yueru also showed a strong will, and she said that she is very much looking forward to showing her skills in the WNBA and proving the strength of the Chinese women's basketball team to the world.
For the upcoming WNBA journey, Li Yueru is undoubtedly full of expectations and confidence. She believes that she is fully prepared, and has made great progress not only in terms of technique and tactics, but also in terms of mental quality. On this new stage in the WNBA, she will definitely perform better and win more attention and opportunities for herself.
Looking to the future, Li Yueru's career prospects are bright. As a new national player of the Chinese women's basketball team, she undoubtedly shoulders the heavy responsibility of the future of the national team. I believe that under her leadership, the Chinese women's basketball team will achieve excellent results in the next Asian Cup and Olympic Games, adding more luster to the national flag.
Let's bless this big girl who loves to laugh to become more and more courageous on the stage of the WNBA and write a new chapter for the Chinese women's basketball team!