Chen Xiaoli scored 21 points with 12 rebounds as defending champion China downed Taiwan 90-59 for the gold in the Asian Games women's basketball tournament.
China took control of the game in the second quarter, ending the half up 46-33, then added another 28 points in the third quarter.
Taiwan matched China point for point in the fourth quarter, but by then the victory was out of reach.
PHOTO: AP
China captain Miao Lijie added 20 points and Chen Nan had 19 and 10 rebounds.
Lin Hui-mei led Taiwan with 18 points.
"We played our very best tonight," said Miao, who scored an amazing three-pointer from within her own half on the buzzer for the end of the third quarter.
Taiwan was dealt a heavy blow when the tournament's leading scorer, Chiang Feng-chun, was sent to the bench in the opening minutes with three personal fouls.
"We didn't know how to get our offense started," Chiang said. "We will be better in the Asian Cup."
China beat South Korea for the title four years ago in Busan, and won gold in 1982 and 1986.
Earlier in the evening, Japan defeated South Korea 74-70 for the bronze medal, led by Ryoko Utsumi's 24 points. Yuko Oga had 13 points and nine rebounds. Beon Yeon-ha led scoring for South Korea with 22 points, while Kim Kwe-ryong had 21.
In the men's final yesterday afternoon, unbeaten China was due to meet host Qatar.
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Editorial: Gold, silver, bronze -- and lead
Chinese Men Win Gold
Former Dallas Maverick Wang Zhizhi scored 28 points and led China to a 59-44 win over Qatar in the Asian Games basketball gold medal match.
Yesterday's victory renews China's virtual lock on the title, which it has now won five times since 1986.
The only blemish was a silver at Busan four years ago, when Houston Rockets star Yao Ming was a regular on the team.
Deprived of Yao's presence, China turned to NBA alum Wang to dominate at center and he instantly rose to the occasion, scoring 12 first-quarter points.
Qatar drew within a point early in the second, but the half ended with China ahead 34-25.
Despite again closing to within three points in the third, Qatar was simply unable to neutralize the threat from Wang, who rained in field goals and repeatedly took defenders to the basket.
Wang, returning from the outer after declining invitations for national team duties during his NBA stint, said the young players around him were improving as the tournament progressed.
``Some of our younger players were in such an important game for the first time so they are not familiar with the pressure, but they played better and better,'' Wang said.
Zhu Fangyu added 10 points for China, while 19-year-old NBA prospect Yi Jianlian had eight points and secured a team-high 15 rebounds.
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