15 minutes til game time. Can anybody figure out how to pull up the Real Player link that actually works for this site?
Yao wants to meet and beat Ri -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ¡¡¡¡ BUSAN, Sept. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- 2002 NBA draft top pick Yao Ming, who took the court here on Friday for China's opener at the Asian Games, wanted to meet and beat former NBA candidate Ri Myong-Hun at the Busan Asian Games. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡"What does he look like," Yao asked a Xinhua sportswriter who saw the 2.35-meter Ri in DPR Korea men's basketball team's training on Thursday. "Is he taller than me?" ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡"I am looking forward to meeting him on the court, and beating him," he said after China's first and final workout at the Geumjeong Gymnasium before the kickoff of the Asiad basketball tournament. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡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 men's basketball. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡The 2.26-meter Yao and his teammates will strive to defend their Asian Games title at Busan. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡"Our objective is to win the gold medal," said head coach Wang Fei. "But we have to do it step by step." ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡China will meet Kuwait in their preliminary Group A opener on Saturday. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡"We should take seriously every team we meet," Wang added. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Wang also said that the Chinese players have pulled themselves out of a disappointing 12th finish at the recent world championship. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡"The players are in good shape and mood, they worked very hard in the training," he said. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Twelve teams were to compete in four groups at the Asian Games men's basketball tournament after Asian runners-up Lebanon's withdrawal on Wednesday. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡The hosts South Korea and China were considered as the hot title favorites. ¡¡¡¡
Chinese basketball giant eyes playing with taller DPR Korean -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ¡¡¡¡ BUSAN, Sept. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Yao Ming, tallest of the Chinese Asiad basketball squad, said Friday he expected the opportunity toplay with Ri Myong-hun of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, a 2.35-meter center even taller than Yao. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡"I'd like to play with Mr. Ri Myong-hun to get the feeling of playing with a taller player," said the 2.26-meter Yao, who has stayed in the Busan Athletes' Village overnight. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Yao said he had already heard of Ri Myong-hun who arrived here last Monday. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Yao had never played basketball with anyone taller, except for his father. "That was because I was young when I played with my father," Yao said. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡The 22-year-old Yao, who is considered a great prospect, has already had several chances to test his skills in international competitions, including the 2001 World University Games and the 2000 Olympics. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡He was a hero in the 2001 Beijing World University Games when he cracked down the United States with a powerful block with 0.2 seconds left to give China a 83-82 victory. China settled for the silver after losing to Yugoslavia 101-61. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡On the upcoming Busan Asian Games matches, Yao said he is confident to beat the arch-rivals of South Korea and Japan, and his team endeavors to defend their title.
