CHINA, South Korea, and host Japan wasted no time entering the win column of the 20th Asian Games basketball competitions.
Behind big man Jiahao Yu and point guard Zhenglin Pang, the Chinese rolled past Kazakhstan, 99-61, early Friday morning at the Aichi International Arena in the game preceding Gilas Pilipinas’ debut match against Bahrain.
READ: Oftana jolts Gilas to life in close first half vs Bahrain
Yu, a member of the team that lost to the Philippines in the semifinals of the 2022 Hangzhou Asiad, finished with 17 points and two rebounds, while Pang, the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year in the Chinese Basketball Association, also had 17 and four assists for Team Dragon.
China, Kazakhstan, and Bahrain are all together with the Philippines in Group C.
Late Thursday night, Japan whipped Indonesia, 98-53, and South Korea defeated Saudi Arabia, 82-66.
Playing minus its star players, Akatsuki Japan still proved too much against the Indonesians, as young forward Kazuma Tsuya exploded for 23 points behind 7-of-9 shooting from three-point range.
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