The anticipation of a humdinger between the continent’s biggest (literally) set of sportswomen — the Korean and Chinese hoopsters — petered out into a domineering 91-71 win for the latter on Thursday as they lifted the FIBA Asian Basketball Championship title at the Nehru Indoor Stadium.

The commanding performance gave China their 10th gold medal and sweet revenge, two years after they had gone down to Korea to settle for silver. Out to assert their supremacy this time over their old rivals, the Chinese led for 35 of the 40 minutes, with their star centre and WNBA export Chen Nan stamping her class. Korea, who have won the competition 12 times, had to be content with a silver — their ninth overall.

Unstoppable after the first quarter, the Chinese rolled out player after player looking in good nick to score quick as Chen Nan and Chen Xiaoli excelled up front under the basket and Lan Bian and Ma Zeng Yu attacked from the flanks as five Chinese got into double figures. Holders Korea, betraying tremendous nerves when shooting and unable to stop Chen Nan, seemed clueless after the lead bulged to almost 23 from 8 points within the third quarter and Korea’s defence looked confused against a multi-pronged attack and a flurry of effective substitutions, a flurry even by Korea’s own quick standards.

It was left to the Korean top scorer — guard BeonYeon Ha (29) — to pull a few back, though against the rampaging Chinese even a 15-point lead looked mighty to overhaul. Korean centres Kim Kwe Ryong and Ha Eun Joo were given no leeway, even as the Chinese attacked successfully on the counter whizzing past a tiring Korean defence.

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