Preview of Women’s Professional Basketball Playoff Game

CHENGDU, China (Interstat) — A titanic playoff clash tips off Tuesday when the Sichuan women’s basketball team hosts the Shanxi women’s basketball team in Game 1 of their postseason series.

The matchup features the league’s two top regular-season squads. Shanxi (22-4) enters as the seed, narrowly ahead of Sichuan (21-5). The teams split their two regular-season meetings, each winning on the other’s home court. Shanxi won the most recent encounter 91-82 at home on Jan. 20.

All eyes will be on a monumental battle in the paint between two dominant post players. Shanxi is led by forward Shakira Austin, who is coming off a 33-minute, 18-point, 13-rebound performance in an 80-64 road win over Xinjiang on April 8. Austin has been a force recently, including a 36-point, 15-rebound outing on March 30.

She will be matched against Sichuan’s center, Elizabeth Cambage. Cambage recorded a 20-point, 11-rebound, four-block game in Sichuan’s 87-75 road victory over Jiangsu on April 8. She provides a formidable interior presence for the home side.

The series opener in Chengdu sets the stage for a best-of-three semifinal. The teams will travel to Shanxi for Game 2 on Friday, April 17, and, if necessary, Game 3 on Sunday, April 19.

Shanxi rides a 10-game winning streak into the playoffs, last losing on Jan. 27. Sichuan has won its last nine games, with its most recent loss coming on Jan. 20 — against Shanxi.

Beyond the star bigs, Shanxi relies on consistent production from guard Song Kexin and center Kalani Brown. Sichuan counters with forward Natasha Howard and playmaking guard Li Yuan, who dished nine assists in the team’s last game.

The game is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. local time at Sichuan’s home arena. The winner will advance to the league championship series.