If anyone wants to watch this game (China vs Kuwait), GDTV will show it at 8:10pm Houston time and 9:10pm Eastern time today. You can watch it online. www.gdtv.com.cn Click the video icon at BOARDBAND.
Roundup: Yao focuses on Asian Games as China win basketball opener ------------------------------------------------------------------------------BUSAN, Sept. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- 2002 NBA Draft top pick Yao Ming is concentrating on the Asian Games as China eased past Kuwait 78-45 in their Group A opener of the men's basketball competition here on Saturday. The 2.26-meter Yao, who was selected by the Houston Rockets as the first pick in June's NBA Draft, has yet to sign his NBA contract, awaiting the green light from the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Having been surrounded by anxious reporters and piling questions about his NBA future since arriving the South Korean port city on Thursday, Yao chose to concentrate on the Asian Gamescompetition which he thought was very important for the Chinese team. "Right now, I want to concentrate on the Asian Games," he said when asked about his contract with the Houston Rockets. "The Asian Games is very important for the Chinese team," he added. Dozens of reporters from various countries and regions poured around Yao after he helped China record an easy victory over Kuwait Saturday afternoon and he could hardly walk off the court. Yao was asked about his opinion of DPR Korea's star center and former NBA candidate Ri Myong-Hun. "I saw him play when I was a child," said the 22-year-old Yao. Yao said on Friday that he wanted to beat Ri, who celebrated his 35th birthday early this month. "I am looking forward to meeting him on the court, and beating him." Yao will have a chance to meet Ri on the court if China and DPRKorea both finished top two in each preliminary group of the 12-team tournament. On the opening day of Asian Games' basketball, Yao scored 15 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in 22 minutes to lead the Chinese, who were never really challenged. Despite the easy win, China coach Wang Fei hinted on the team'sdefense. "The players worked hard in the game," Wang told reporters after the game. "But we should pay more attention to our defense, especially the outside defense." Yao scored seven points in the first period to lift the defending champions to an 18-11 lead over the much shorter Kuwaitis. The NBA Denver Nuggets' center Menk Bateer came from the bench to record six points in China's 20-3 run which enlarged the marginto 38-14 with less than three minutes remaining in the second quarter. China rested most of their starters in the fourth quarter as the victory was sealed. Kuwait could hardly find their shots before the towering Chinese, who had an average height of 2.02 meters, with air balls and missed shots from the Arabs spreading around the game. Ismail Yasseen rescued Qatar with a fantastic layup in the lastminute to award the Arabs a 58-57 victory in Group D. With Qatar trailing by one and 5.4 seconds remaining on the clock, Yasseen dribbled the ball to the front court and tore open the Kazakhstan defense for a flying layup which made it 58-57. Yasseen finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. Fedor Zakharchenko, who gave Kazakhstan a 57-56 lead with a tip-off with 14.1 seconds left, missed a jumper in the dying minute tosurrender the Group D match. Today we played good defense, but we could not score from the outside and that was our problem," said Qatar coach Fakhroo Ali. Qatar held Kazakhstan to 31.9% shooting from the field but onlymanaged 27.8% themselves. "We won with defense, not offense," Ali added. Home favorites South Korea overwhelmed Mongolia 145-65 in the Group B opener. South Korea, runners-up to China at the Bangkok Asian Games four years ago, were simply too much for Group B opponents Mongolia. "We tried our best, that's why we won today," South Korea coachKim Jin told reporters after the most lopsided match of the day. In Saturday's other match, the Philippines were tested early but stormed ahead in the second quarter to trounce the United ArabEmirates 79-56.
