CHN/IRI – Yao, Yi help China throttle Iran

NANJING (FIBA Diamond Ball) - China left the FIBA Diamond Ball on a high note by thrashing Iran 75-46 in the fight for third place.

Yi Jianlian answered his critics with a strong eight-point, nine-rebound performance and Yao Ming took another step in his recovery from a foot operation by scoring 12 and grabbing four boards.

Iran, who upset Serbia two days ago but played without captain Samad Nikkhahbahrami, lost star center Hamed Ehadadi to an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.

“He’s going to be okay,” Samad revealed after.

“He’s had this before. He’s a big guy. He turned his ankle and should be okay in one or two days.”

Hamed more than held his own against Yao by scoring 10 points and pulling down five rebounds while also blocking four shots.

Yao has been sensational considering the length of time he has been away from basketball while recovering from his surgery.

"I think I'm about 70 or 80%,” Yao said to FIBA.Com immediately after the game.

“To come back from an injury is pretty hard. Five months off the court and only a week to go before our first game at the Olympics."

Yi had failed to score in China’s defeat to Australia but did not let the disappointment get him down.

He and his China teammates played with a greater sense of urgency.

"I just tried to do my job,” he said.

“We played a bad game yesterday, we lost our defense but tonight, we tried to play better defense, push the ball and play our game."

China stormed out to a 13-4 lead and by half-time, the advantage had ballooned to 37-21. Iran hustled but without Samad, who experienced lower back pain after the win over Serbia, and minus forward Oshin Sahakian for most of the game with a left thumb injury, they missed two key players from the starting line-up.

China were nine of 24 from three-point range, while inside the arc they made 20 of 36.

Iran were a mere two of 17 from long range and 17 of 63 from the floor overall.

China have a huge task to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympics as they did four years ago.

They must finish in the top four of a Group B that also includes the United States, world champions Spain, Greece, Germany and Angola.

Iran are in Group A with Argentina, Australia, Lithuania, Croatia and European champions Russia.

FIBA