Defending champion Dongguan opened its 2025-26 Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) campaign with an 88-73 home win over Jiangsu on Sunday.

Kamilla Cardoso powered the hosts with 23 points and 17 rebounds, helping deliver a 52-27 edge on the glass, while China international Yang Shuyu added 15 points, all from beyond the arc. Dongguan received its championship rings and raised its banner before tip-off.

Jiangsu welcomed back Zhang Manman and Jin Weina, and Dongguan signed last season's Best Overseas Player Cardoso. With veterans Huang Sijing and Yang Liwei sidelined, Dongguan started slowly and trailed 16-13 after the first quarter.

Jiangsu's Sun Yu scored 11 points in the second period, but Cardoso's eight straight in the paint kept Dongguan within range.

The champions tightened defensively after halftime, outscoring Jiangsu 27-19 in the third quarter to turn a three-point deficit into a five-point lead entering the fourth.

Yang buried back-to-back 3-pointers to spark the final frame, then hit another triple to push the margin to 16 with two minutes remaining, effectively sealing the result.

Luo Xinyu led Jiangsu with 21 points, and Sun finished with 16.

18 teams competing in the new season are divided into two groups, with Group A consisting of last season's top 12 finishers while Group B features other six sides qualified after passing the league's entry.

Teams in Group A will meet each other twice for a combined 22 rounds, while Group B sides are set to face each other four times for a total of 20 rounds.

The 2025-26 WCBA regular season will conclude on February 1, 2026.