Preview: Shanxi Faces Sichuan in Game 5 of Playoff Series

TAIYUAN, China (Interstat) – The Shanxi women’s professional basketball team hosts Sichuan on Saturday in a decisive Game 5 of their playoff series, with both teams seeking to advance in the postseason. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. local time at the Taiyuan Sports Center.

Shanxi, the higher seed with a 24-6 record across all competitions, holds home-court advantage in this best-of-five matchup. The series is tied 2-2 after a back-and-forth battle that has seen each team win on the other’s floor. Sichuan enters with a 23-7 mark.

The visiting team, Sichuan, will rely heavily on center Elizabeth Cambage. The dominant post player has been a consistent force in the series, averaging 19.8 points and 11.3 rebounds over the four head-to-head games. Cambage posted 29 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-53 victory at Shanxi on April 19, and added 19 points and 10 rebounds in a 95-61 rout at home on April 14. However, she managed just 10 points and nine rebounds in Sichuan’s 87-80 loss on Wednesday, the most recent meeting.

Shanxi counters with center Kalani Brown, who erupted for 34 points and five rebounds in the Game 4 win at Sichuan. Brown has been less consistent in the series, scoring only seven points in a 75-53 loss on April 19, but she has the ability to dominate when on her game, as shown in the 72-70 home win April 17 when she posted 20 points and 11 rebounds.

The series has been defined by home teams winning consistently. Shanxi won 72-70 at home April 17, while Sichuan won 95-61 at home April 14. Shanxi followed with an 87-80 victory in Sichuan on Wednesday, snapping a pattern of blowouts.

Key role players could decide the outcome. For Sichuan, forward Natasha Howard scored 21 points in Game 4, and point guard Li Yuan dished nine assists. For Shanxi, forward Shakira Austin added 19 points and nine rebounds in that win, while guard Song Kexin contributed 10 points.

Saturday’s winner advances to the next round of the playoffs.