Valparaiso showed a great deal of improvement in its final game in China on Friday, despite falling to Zhejiang Chouzhou 71-61 in Hangzhou.

Zhejiang Chouzhou is a Chinese professional team, and the same squad that the Crusaders fell to by 25 points just 24 hours earlier.  Valpo even built a 30-29 lead at the half.

“I liked our effort tonight and we were able to make a significant improvement over the three games we played,” head coach Keith Freeman said.

Freshman Shaquira Scott (Wilmette, Ill./Loyola Academy) led the Brown and gold with 14 points and added three rebounds while sophomore Maegan Callaway (Mooresville, Ind./Mooresville H.S.) scored 12 points.  Ashley Varner (South Bend, Ind./Washington H.S.) chipped in eight points and pulled down a team-high five rebounds.  Betsy Adams (Monticello, Ind./Twin Lakes H.S.) tallied seven points while Laura Richards (Connersville, Ind./Connersville H.S.) dished out five assists for Valpo.

“We were able to try a lot of different combinations of players on this trip and it gives us a good baseline to begin the year,” Freeman added.  “We now plan to enjoy the final few days as tourists before heading back to the U.S.”

Valparaiso headed to Beijing on Saturday morning to spend the final days visiting the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City before returning to Valparaiso on Monday.