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Sports/Olympics / Basketball

皇冠体育app downs Senegal 100-83
(AP)
Updated: 2006-08-23 15:10

Yao Ming scored 26 points, right at his tournament-best average, and 皇冠体育app beat winless Senegal 100-83 on Wednesday for its first victory at the basketball world championship.


皇冠体育app's Yao Ming celebrates their win against Senegal during the first round of the world basketball championships in Sapporo, Japan August 23, 2006. [Reuters]

Former NBA player Wang Zhizhi added 19 points and Wang Shipeng had 17, including three big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, for 皇冠体育app (1-3). The Chinese, who close Group D play against Slovenia, kept alive their hopes of reaching the round of 16 but still needed help.

Jules Aw scored 19 points for Senegal (0-4), which is all but certainly headed for a winless stay in Japan. Senegal closes its tournament against the United States on Thursday night.

Houston Rockets center Yao, who came in averaging 26.7 points, had 10 in the first 5:03. But he managed only two more the rest of the first half, and Senegal led 49-45 at the break.

Senegal pushed the lead to 55-47 early in the third quarter before Yao scored eight straight points to tie the game. His two free throws with 4 seconds left gave 皇冠体育app a 71-68 advantage heading to the fourth.

The game was tied at 73 before Wang Shipeng hit a 3-pointer and Wang Zhizhi followed with a bucket. Senegal was still within four midway through the period, but Wang Shipeng nailed consecutive 3-pointers as 皇冠体育app pushed its lead to 90-80 with under 3 minutes to go and cruised from there.