China win a formality

A cakewalk. That’s what China expects in facing host South Korea in the 14th Asian Games basketball finals at the 15,000-seat Sajik Gymnasium today. And after barely surviving the Philippines in the semis, it doesn’t look like the Koreans stand a Chinaman’s chance of scoring an upset.

South Korea was lucky to advance but probably didn’t deserve to. With less than a minute to go, guard Lee Sang Min clearly committed a traveling violation–in hoop parlance, he took steps–but got away with it. Then, with 51 seconds left and the hosts trailing the Philippines by two, the game clock skipped a few precious seconds to allow South Korea more time to set up for the last shot.

But no excuses for the Philippines. Lee hit the three-point killer at the buzzer to win it for the Koreans, 69-68, and the Filipinos’ dream for gold turned into a nightmare.

It’s been five years since South Korea beat China in men’s hoops. The Koreans had their last taste of victory in an 86-72 semifinal decision over China at the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) championships in Riyadh in 1997. Kyung Eun Moon and Lee Sang Min tallied 15 apiece to spark the win. Moon and Min are back on the Korean lineup in Busan. Three other 1997 veterans–Seo Jang Hoon, Chun Hee Chul, and Hyun Joo Yup–are seeing action today.

At the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, China savored sweet revenge in hacking out a 112-92 thrashing of South Korea for the gold medal. Mengke Bateer, Liu Yudong, Hu Weidong, Li Nan, and Gong Xiaobin are back from the 1998 team to lead China’s attack in Busan. Seven players from the Korean silver medal squad are in coach Kim Jin’s roster for the 14th Asiad.

China repeated over South Korea, 63-45, in the finals of the ABC tournament in Fukuoka in 1999. Hu and Gong combined for 31 points to fuel China’s assault. In the same tournament, South Korea shamed the Philippines–represented by the Metropolitan Basketball Association club Laguna Lakers, 98-63. Dondon Hontiveros, who’s in Busan, was on the Philippine team that year.

South Korea and China didn’t cross paths at the ABC championships in Shanghai last year. The Koreans lost to Lebanon in the semis and wound up beating Syria, 95-94, for third place. China went on to clinch its 12th ABC crown since 1975.

In Busan, China and South Korea remain the only unbeaten teams. But only one will finish unscathed. They part ways today.

China leads the tournament in both offense, averaging 105 points in six games, and defense, giving up only 50.8 points an outing. Its average margin of victory is a whopping 50.8 points. South Korea is hitting at a 101.5 clip and yielding 72.7 a contest with an average winning margin of 28.8. The Koreans hold the records for most points in a game, 145, and biggest margin of victory, 80, against Mongolia.

What’s scary about China is 7-5 Yao Ming has hardly flexed his muscles or worked up a sweat. Neither 6-10 Seo or 6-9 Kim Joo Sung is a match for Yao, one-on-one, and the Koreans are likely to throw a double team on the Houston Rockets draftee when he gets the ball in scoring position. The problem is Yao has developed a keen passing sense. Sometimes, it appears Yao deliberately invites the double team so he can kick out to his teammates in the perimeter.

There’s no question China’s offense is centered on Yao but it’s hardly a one-man show. Yao, 22, is such an imposing presence that he makes his teammates look so much better than they are.

Houston general manager Carroll Dawson, in justifying the Rockets’ No. 1 overall pick in the National Basketball Association (NBA) this year, said: "I’ve never seen anybody his size with that skill level. The best (big man) I’ve ever seen with that kind of skill level is Olajuwon and this guy is six inches taller. He moves with quickness, moves his feet and runs the floor like a 6-5 guy. He’s very athletic and has a tremendous touch. He passes the ball like Sabonis. He can shoot the ball, too. He shot 72.4 percent from the floor (in the ABC meet last year) and he never dunked."

A recent International Basketball Federation (FIBA) scouting report on China pointed to its backcourt as a major weakness. Apparently, coach Wang Fei took heed as he dismissed guards Li Xiaoyong and Fan Bin from last year’s national cast and brought in 6-3 Guo Shiqiang and 6-3 Liu Wei. The inexperience of both recruits, however, will be a handicap in pressure situations.

China Basketball Association secretary-general Xin Lancheng described South Korea as a "dangerous" opponent but didn’t likely mean it. Wang Fei has gone on record to say China doesn’t consider opposition in Asia a challenge. Beating teams by 50 points is not his idea of a challenge as Wang said China’s focus is to become a world, not just a regional, power.

Gong, who turns 33 next month, is the team’s senior statesman. He’s the only player left from the 1990 squad that beat the Philippines for the gold at the Asian Games in Beijing. Others in their 30s are Hu and Liu, both 32.

Losing Wang Zhizhi to the NBA hasn’t meant too many sleepless nights for Wang Fei. He’s begun to rebuild the team for the future and this year, elevated 6-7 Zhu Fangyu, 19, 6-9 Du Feng, 23, and 6-8 Chen Ke, 23, aside from Guo and Liu Wei to the national lineup. For insurance, Wang Fei still leans on the hot-shooting offguard Li Nan, 26, and 6-6 Zhang Cheng, 24.

If Wang Fei decides to go big, he’s got the luxury of sending in Yao, Bateer, and Gong to form a massive frontline. Throw in Hu and Li Nan in the backcourt and there’s no Asian team that can match up, five-on-five, in terms of size.

Still, China lives and dies from the perimeter despite its giants. "Ultimately, it will be a question of whether China’s frontcourt will command enough attention whereby its shooters will be left to roam and shoot the three," said the FIBA scouts. "This will be China’s doing or undoing."

Against South Korea, it shouldn’t make a difference. Whether Wang Fei trains his guns inside or outside, China should breeze to an easy triumph unless the referees succumb to hometown pressure and help out the hosts.

Barring extraneous circumstances, China is a solid pick to bag its sixth straight Asian Games gold medal in basketball and seventh overall. South Korea is shooting for its third title after victories in 1970 and 1982.

If only Danny Seigle played against the Koreans last Saturday, maybe it would’ve been China versus the Philippines today.