FIBA Asia 2011: Champion China winning by a hairline against Jordan

Champion team China

       China survive a scare from the Jordanian as they escape to win their 15th FIBA Asia Championship and will head to their third straight Olympic Games in 2012 at London.

          As exciting as the battle for 3rd game by Korea vs Phil. It came down to the final moments and China did enough down the stretch to win 70-69 despite scoring only 11 points in the last quarter, with a solitary free throw from Yi Jianlian with 28 seconds remaining the difference. Yi was outstanding with 25 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks, deservedly claiming tournament MVP following the game. Liu Wei scored 13 points for China, while Yi Li and Wang Zhizhi each scored 10. For Jordan, Rasheim Wright was near unstoppable with 26 points at 53%, while Zaid Abbas (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Sam Daghles (10 points, eight rebounds and four assists) were their usual productive selves.

         The game started as the chess match everyone expected, with Jordan changing defences almost every time down the court, and China guarding the paint with size and carefully selecting who they would leave open. Liu, Yi and Wang all scored in the first 90 seconds of the third term to give China their first lead since quarter time. Jordan responded in their composed and intelligent way through Abbas and Daghles, and it was a 59-56 game at three quarter time. For more than two minutes neither team scored until both teams were whistled for controversial technical fouls.Wright then tied the game away with a long shot clock beating triple and the game was tied at 69. Yi Jianlian was then unwisely fouled in the backcourt with Jordan in the bonus giving him his chance to win the game. He missed the first, then the second bounced around before dropping in. Jordan had one more chance, Wright’s fadeaway was off target but Abdallah Abuqoura grabbed the offensive rebound and fed Dughles, whose teardrop was off the mark. Finally, a sigh of relief from the fan and also from the players of China as they gather and celebrate in front of their hometown fans.

Mythical Five Selection

Note: (from left-right) Japanese player, Sam Daghles (Jordan), Samad Bahrami (Iran), Yi Jianlian (China) Most Valuable Player, and Hamed Haddadi (Iran)