Chen Nan's 50 Points Ensure China's Gold Medal in Women's BasketballTeenager sensation Chen Nan scored 50 points on Friday to ensure China the gold medal in the women's basketball competition after China trounced Japan 108-79 in the women's basketball semifinals at the East Asian Games here.Australia survived a fourth-quarter comeback to dispose off South Korea 89-87 earlier to enter the final. Australia compete in the East Asian Games as guests statue, so the winners of the other semi-final China would take the gold medal. The 18-year-old center, 1.95 meters high, played with her first cap but became the most promising player in the competition with 24 points and 8.0 rebounds each game in the past six games. She had played for an average time of 30 minutes each game and is 77.2 percent in the field. Chinese coach Gong Luming declined to compare Chen to Zheng Haixia, China's most successful women basketball player in the history, saying it is too early to set the tone for Chen. Zheng, who played for Los Angels Sparks in America's Women's National Basketball Association league, won the silver medals in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Chen was 23-26 in the field on Friday and grabbed nine rebounds as China dominated the board by 49-21. Leading 64-38 after the first half, China never let their opponents, who beat them 96-81 in the preliminary round, come in as close as 20 points. "I'm not surprised by the win, but to win by such a big gap is beyond my expectation," Gong said. Forward Hu Xiaotao had 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Japan's forward Naomi Yashiro contributed 30 points. Lee Jong-ae failed to take it into extra time when she missed a last-second 12-foot in a semi-final in which the more determined Koreans played physically and aggressively. "It's a tough and exhausted game. We failed to cap our domination on the board, which hurt us to the end of the game," Australia's Michlle Griffiths said. The Australians had the better of the rebounds with 41-23. Suzanne Batkovic scored a game-high 40 points and had 15 rebounds, with Griffiths adding 24 points. |
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