Shanghai point guard Shi Xiufeng (L) playing for the China women's national basketball team. (Photo : Xinhua)
Shanghai Baoshan Dahua Octopus point guard Shi Xiufeng was suspended for five games by the Women's Chinese Basketball Association after she slapped Guangdong Dolphins' Belarusian center Yelena Leuchanka in the face during the second quarter of the Octopus' 88-73 loss to the Dolphins on Saturday, January 9.
Xinhuanet reported the incident, mentioning that the "Shanghai club was also fined 3,000 yuan (about 460 U.S. dollars) for Shi's unethical behavior".
The confrontation occurred with 6:07 remaining in the second period of the WCBA match. Shi was immediately sent out of the playing court by game officials while Leuchanka was given a technical foul.
Shanghai Daily noted that the hitting incident was the second time the 32-year-old, 6-foot-5 former WNBA player was attacked in the face this month.
The first one was an elbow strike by Shi's 6-foot-8 Australian teammate, Elizabeth Cambage, in the Octopus' 71-69 win on Thursday last week, two days prior to the slapping skirmish, which resulted in "seven stitches under her left eye". The 24-year-old Cambage was penalized with a one-game suspension after the incident.
The 28-year-old Shi is one of the key players of her team this season, averaging 12.0 points in 22 games so far for Shanghai Dahua. She was also a part of the China women's national basketball team that won the Silver medal in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
Meanwhile, Leuchanka was a former undrafted WNBA player who suited up for the Charlotte Sting, Washington Mystics, and Atlanta Dream. She was also a member of the Belarus women's national basketball team that competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Leuchanka also played for the Liaoning Leopards and Jiangsu Phoenixs before joining the Dolphins during the beginning of the current season. She is currently averaging 20.8 points and 13.0 rebounds thru 24 matches this season.
