Yao Ming contributes the
team's highest 28 points, but none of his teammates can stand out
to help China come back in the game against Brisbane Bullets on
Friday, September 21, 2007. [Photo: Osports.cn]
Yao Ming scored the team's highest 28 points but failed to help
China avoid a 93-92 defeat by Australian Brisbane Bullets in the
first of a two-leg friendly series on Friday.
Craig Bradshaw sunk 31 points for the visitors and CJ Bruton
shot on the final buzzer to lead the Australian champions to the
narrow victory in southern China's Guangdong Province.
The Chinese national team rushed to a 21-14 edge after the
opening quarter and consolidated the ascendancy in the second,
widening the gap to 43-33 by the half time, thanks to the overall
advantage.
China rode on to a 62-51 lead three minutes before the third
period ended, but was pulled back from then on as the Aussies
enhanced aggression throughout the court.
With China's 68-67 lead, the game entered the fourth quarter, in
which both sides played all-out, fighting for a command. Yao Ming
scored a free throw to pull it even with 1'17" to go and Liu Wei
shot a three-pointer, making it 92-91 in dying seconds.
However, Bruton denied China's third straight win against an
Australian side this year with a jump shot from the free-throw line
as the buzzer rang.
China clinched two victories in a row earlier this year against
another Aussie squad, Melbourne Tigers.
The Chinese national team and the Bullets will play their second
game on Sunday.
(CRI September 22, 2007)
