Hurting Yi admits China repeat as FIBA-Asia champion will be hard

Korea’s CHO Sungmin vs LIU Xiaoyu and YI Jianlian. PHOTO BY NUKI SABIO/PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines — At one point, Yi Jianlian had to put team China on his shoulders just to stay in striking distance with Korea late in the game.

Yi tried — scoring nine straight points for China in the fourth quarter — but the task proved to be too much as Korea pulled off a 63-59 stunner Thursday night in the opening day of the 27th FIBA-Asia Championship at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“We are passive to start the game, we couldn’t make shots,” seven-foot Yi, the former NBA journeyman who last played for the Dallas Mavericks in 2012, said after his 23 points and 10 rebounds were put to waste.

Yi, who revealed he’s not a in tip-top form due to a hamstring injury, also said that China’s bid to repeat as the Asian champion won’t be as smooth as it would look.

“It’s going to be tough. Especially with a lot of our players playing hurt,” admitted Yi, who was drafted sixth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks back in 2007.

Yi added that his injury was “still hurting” and that it’s bothering him. “I’m not a 100 percent especially on the defensive end.”

But while Yi attributed China’s loss to the players’ passiveness to start, its head coach Panagiotis Giannakis thought his team “played a nervous game.”

“We played good defense but the team Korea stayed in the game. We are still playing nervous because this is the first game of the tournament.”

Despite the shocker, Yi did not sound alarmed or worried.

“The most important thing right now is being focused and prepared for the next games. It’s a long tournament.”