China trounced Chinese Taipei 90-59 to defend the Asian Games women's
basketball title in Doha yesterday.
Miao Lijie, a former WNBA player, ended the third quarter with an
unbelievable back-field three-pointer at the buzz, helping China to a 74-43 lead
and making the fourth quarter junk time.
"The Asian Games is part of our journey to Beijing (Olympic Games)," said
Thomas Maher, head coach of the Chinese team. "I have never seen a team younger
than us. I think we still have to improve in many ways."
Chinese Taipei, making its first appearance in an Asian Games final, trailed
by just three points in the first quarter, but was well beaten from the second
half.
"We had thought of the loss, but never thought of such a big loss," said
Chien Wei Chuan, captain of the Chinese Taipei team, which was edged by four
points in their last meet in the final of the 2005 East Asian Games.
Lin Hung Ling-yao, coach of the Chinese Taipei team, expressed her great
disappointment.
"It's really discouraging," she said. "I don't think we have such a big gap
with the Chinese team."
"My team didn't perform very well. Chiang Feng Chun committed three fouls at
the early part of the first quarter, which made us very passive in the inside,"
she added.
The Chinese center duo Chen Xiaoli and Chen Nan were proven too strong for
their opponents, whose average height was nine centimeters shorter than the
Chinese.
Chen Xiaoli hit a game-high 21 points plus 12 rebounds while Chen Nan added
19 points and 10 rebounds.
"For me, Chen Nan is the best player of the tournament," said Maher. "It is
unbelievable to me how much she has improved."
Miao, who displayed strong personal basketball here, contributed 20 points
and five assists.
Lin Hui Mei led Chinese Taipei with 18 points.