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China edges Croatia 80-76 for 3rd win

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-17 10:14

JIYUAN, China - China edged Croatia, a second-string national basketball team, 80-76 here on Monday, winning all three friendly games between the two teams.

Having beaten the visitors 65-60 Thursday in Yantai, Shandong province, and 76-66 on Saturday in Shanghai, China has earned six consecutive wins since the team gathered early March for the Olympics.

Yi Jianlian, who had 17 points in the eight minutes from a span of second and third quarter, scored 26 points for China, who played without NBA All-Star Yao Ming for his injury, while Zhu Fangyu added 13 points, Du Feng 12.

Iva Novvacic had 22 points for Croatia, who led 11-3 with 3:34 minutes to go in the first quarter, and Petar Babic scored 13, including four 30-pointers.

China got off slowly before coming back with a 32-20 run and made a 33-31 lead at the halftime.

It was 53-50 entering the fourth period for China's advantage. But Croatia cut the gap within only one points for four times.

Zhu Fangyu scored a rebound and hit a 3-pointers to make it 77-73 and clinched the victory.

China forced Croatia 17 turnovers and outrebounded visitors 33-27, but was down in the 3-pointer shots, with only 7-for-27, while Croatia scored 12 from 28 in the long range.