Rockets center dominates to lead China to Asian Championship title BEIJING (AP) -- Houston Rockets center Yao Ming led China to a 106-96 victory over old rivals South Korea on Wednesday night to clinch the title in the Asian men's basketball championship in the north Chinese city of Harbin. Yao dominated on both ends of the court during the game that coincided with Chinese National Day, scoring again and again from the center of the key and repeatedly blocking South Korea's shots. The win also secured for China the sole Asian place at next year's Summer Olympics in Athens. Yao scored China's first six points, then spent much of the next two quarters hovering in defense. With South Korea drawing within six points in the fourth quarter, however, the 2.29-meter (7-foot-6) Yao moved again into offensive mode, dunking repeatedly and setting the packed stadium wild with applause and drumming. The rest of the Chinese squad, which also included Menk Bateer of the San Antonio Spurs, looked shaky for much of the game, missing numerous easy layups and other shots. Faced with Yao's dominance in the key, the fast attacking South Koreans turned to their best shooters, firing away 40 times from three-point territory. South Korean players made 17 of those three-pointers. Yao was named tournament MVP. Third place in the tournament went to Qatar, who fell to China 86-61 on Tuesday. Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Good News from Yao
Yao named MVP of tournament Wednesday, October 1 China qualifies for Athens with Yao at center -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press BEIJING -- Houston Rockets center Yao Ming scored 30 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead China to a 106-96 victory over rival South Korea on Wednesday night to clinch the title in the Asian men's basketball championship and secure an Olympic berth. Ming The game in the north Chinese city of Harbin coincided with Chinese National Day and China was helped along by wildly cheering fans who packed the stadium. China's Li Nan added 26 points while the team shot 67 percent from the field. The win secured for China the sole Asian place at next year's Summer Olympics in Athens. It also served as payback for China's bitter 102-100 loss to South Korea in the final at the Busan Asian Games in October 2002. Yao scored China's first six points and repeatedly slapped down South Korean shots and snagged rebounds. But after South Korea made a 13-3 run at the start of the fourth quarter to cut China's lead to one point, Yao moved again into offensive mode, setting the crowd on fire with a massive two-handed dunk and other shots. he rest of the Chinese squad looked shaky for much of the game, especially inside the arc, where they missed several easy layups. Mengke Bateer of the San Antonio Spurs, also on the China team, saw little action as Chinese coach Jiang Xingquan sought to give younger players a chance to gain more experience. Faced with Yao's dominant presence in the key, South Korea shot 17-of-40 from behind the 3-point line. "The South Koreans are a formidable team, but China held on when challenged. The guys really stuck with it," Jiang told China Central Television after the game. Yao, the No. 1 pick in the 2002 NBA draft, was named tournament MVP. Third place in the tournament went to Qatar, who defeated Lebanon 77-67 on Wednesday night. That game was delayed after both teams showed up in black uniforms shirts and neither would agree to change. They finally took the court after about one hour in distinct red and blue shirts.
Yao you have done what you were supposed to do. And you did it well. Now get your a$$ back to Houston please!
Stats (per game): Yao Ming: GP MIN FG% 3PM-A FT% REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS 8 25.8 .693 0-0 .788 13.1 2.0 0.75 2.75 2.6 2.0 22.6 Bateer: 7 14.9 .703 1-2 .588 5.0 0.9 0.43 0.43 1.6 2.0 9.0 Ha Seung-Jin (Potential 2004 1st Rnd Draft Pick): 8 13.8 .483 0-0 .621 4.4 0.3 0.00 1.00 1.4 2.3 5.8
Holy COW! 22 pts and 13 Reb in 25 min avg per game! I know it wasnt the NBA but he must have been playing more aggressively! Now we NEED him to produce at least 20-10 for us this year and we will be walking the gold brick road to Finals!
poor Ha seung jin, he was #3 on nbadraft and since the asian games, he dropped to 9 and last night he dropped to 22. he should have continued playing with the boys.
poor Ha seung jin, he was #3 on nbadraft and since the asian games, he dropped to 9 and last night he dropped to 22. he should have continued playing with the boys. maybe he can drop far enough that yao can make him an apprentice?
I know what kind of captions you guy would give to this pic if Bateer had bent forward a little more... ...Nevermind.
Hey Rocket fans, Just finished watching the game on NBATV...some notes for you guys who missed the game: The Koreans are a very fast-paced gun-slinging three point team, they dropped so many threes... The Chinese guards suck...man they are horrendous...Yao should have got more touches but guess what? No, the chinese guards weren't selfish, instead, they couldn't even get past half court...these scrubs can even in-bound the ball properly...for the guys that did see the game, did you see the beginning of the second half, when china can even in bound the ball, koread steals it and drains multiple threes...think Reggie Miller, 2 threes in 4 seconds, yet multiple times...unbelievable....i am embarassed that such a great nation with a billion people could only come up with these scrubs as guards....take any four dudes in any Ymca in america, and Yao would get 30/20 all day at the asian tournament... About Yao: Yao was a freakin monster...when he did get the ball it was a monster two handed dunk...the other korean tall kid is not there yet, he only played six minutes and yao took his ass to school...the first play of the game yao span quickly two handed tomahawk jam all over him...it was sic...yao was also constantly staring and yelling at everyone he dunked on...he was huge, he in other words was one bad mutha....unbelievable...yao's deft passing was also spectacular...great basketball iq...his blocking skills was ferocious as well... Yao has gotten even better, and has shown some serious attitude of which everyone in america wants him to have more of...Yao's is an improved product, but will his skills be maximized in the teams plans?
I didn't see this posted anywhere else (surprisingly) His stats in the final game against S. Korea was his most well-rounded game, and should really open some eyes in here. This is what a statline looks like when Yao is motivated. As some of you know, he was very upset in losing to South Korea the last time they played and had made it known that he was going to come out hard against them. 30 points 12/16 FG 6/7 FT 15 Rebound 6 Assists 5 blocks 1 steal Stuart
So does that mean the Asian games are almost over? Man, Yao needs to get back to Houston. ...I hope he isn't half dead by the time december rolls around. NO rest this year....
yao is cut! look at that definition. compared to last year's toothpicks, he has come a long way. also, "Statistically Yao has dominated the championships averaging 22.5 points, 14 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 3.3 dunks a game in six games and leads the tournament in all four categories." - AP he led in dunks! although 3.3 dunks pg isn't total domination (at least in the nba), it seems as if all that yelling and screaming by stevie on the court and the fans in the crowd and in front of the t.v. for yao to "DUNK IT! FOR *#%*"S SAKE JUST DUNK IT!!" actually paid off...
