Top four all eyes the title, China vows to avenge

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, September 23, 2003

Top four all eyes the title, China vows to avenge

The 22nd Men's Asian Basketball Championship will kick off in the northeastern Chinese city Harbin on Tuesday, as the four Asian powerhouses all eye on the title.

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The 22nd Men's Asian Basketball Championship will kick off in the northeastern Chinese city Harbin on Tuesday, as the four Asian powerhouses all eye on the title.

The top four are defending champion China, runner-up Lebanon, South Korea and Syria, who placed third and fourth respectively in the 21st Asian Championship held in Shanghai.

China, who has won seven of the past eight editions of the Asian tournament, sees the event as its final chance to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics as well as a chance to avenge a devastating loss to South Korea in the last year's Asian Games final in Busan, South Korea.

Home advantage, a tall lineup boasting NBA players Yao Ming and Menk Bateer, and tough coach Jiang Xingquan will be China's main weapons when they open their title defense on Tuesday.

Fans' enthusiasm has been fueled up as all the tickets related with China had been sold out one week ago.

"We want to support our team in our own turf, and we are especially looking forward to seeing Yao Ming," said a 38-year-oldfan.

Yao Ming, the first non-American NBA top draft pick, is the most shining star in China. Bateer, the former backup center of the Toronto Raptors, is also a legend in his home country.

The Chinese team arrived here two weeks ago with revenge against South Korea firmly in their mind. South Korea beat China 102-100 in overtime in the final of last year's Asian Games, a loss that led to a shake-up of the Chinese coaching staff.

"We are well-prepared. As long as we can play to our normal standard, we can win the title without any problem," said the 2.26 meter Yao Ming.

"We have saved up our strength for a long time and can't wait to play," he added.

Meanwhile, China's main rival South Korea also demonstrated their confidence as soon as they landed on Harbin on Monday. "We beat China in the Asian Games, so our goal at the championship is the title for sure," said South Korean head coach Chun Chang-Jin..

South Korea were drawn into Pool B and hosts China were draw into Pool C. The two basketball titans will not meet before the final if they go through the first two round round-robins smoothly.

South Korea will not be the only team to challenge China's supremacy in Harbin as Lebanon and Syria have proven to be Asia's emerging tigers.

Lebanon, who set up a final meeting with China after they upsettitle favorites South Korea two years ago in Shanghai, expect to come here to enter the final, again.

"Since we are runners-up two years ago, we are going to surpassthis standard this year," said Lebanon's captain Yasser Ahmad El Hage after the training on Monday.

Syrian team arrived in Harbin on Monday, just one day before the championship, due to the delay in the airport in Bangkok.

"Though all players are tired now but I still hope we can win every match in the championship though we have to meet China as our opening game," said the American head coach Batrik Aleek.

Winner of the championship slated for Sept. 23 - Oct. 1 will get an automatic berth to the 2004 Athens Olympics.

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