Baylor’s game is speaking on the Chinese hardwood. As the WCBA regular season is wrapping up, Shanxi Flame sits at the top of the table, all thanks to a former Baylor duo.

The former Baylor Bears duo, Kalani Brown and Queen Egbo, played an irreplaceable role in the Flames' success this season and are pushing the franchise towards the title. The Flames' thrilling 97-94 upset victory against Shijiazhuang in their last match spoke volumes about the duo's contribution.

The Baylor duo's names shone on the game's stats board. Brown dished out 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Egbo scored 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Their performance helped the Flames maintain a clean sheet, as they moved on to 11-0.

Brown and Egbo led the Baylor Bears to an NCAA championship in 2019. The Bears had a dramatic 82-81 victory against Notre Dame. And Brown’s layup was spectacular as she grabbed 20 points and 13 rebounds.

So, with these two on the roster, the Flames are heading into the playoffs with strong stats. And if they keep this up in the playoffs, Shanxi might return to their winning era.

This dates back to 2015, when former UConn star Maya Moore led the Flames to three consecutive championships.

Shanxi’s Winning Era in the WCBA

The 7-time All-WNBA star Moore helped the Flames to the WCBA title for 3 years straight. She first played for the side during the 2012-13 season, averaging 38.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Shanxi claimed the WCBA title that season, defeating Zhejiang in the finals.

The Flames also won the title in 2014 and 2015. Moore’s 60 points against Yunnan in 2013 drew major global attention to her and Shanxi. However, the Shanxi dynasty fell hard after that. The absence of key foreign players was one of the main reasons.

But now the Flames are recovering, and their performances speak volumes. Brown has racked up 275 points this season, averaging 22.9 points per game. While Egbo is going for a close second, averaging 15.8 ppg.

With the performance the former Baylor duo is delivering, will Shanxi survive the playoffs and finally secure the championship this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Souvik Roy