China eyeing a medal for first time in 28 years

By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer

SYDNEY (AP) — China is trying to end a 28-year medal drought at the Word Cup since finishing second in the 1994 games. With a dominant inside presence led by Han Xu and Li Yueru to go with talented shooters and quick guards, the Chinese team has gotten off to a strong start in Australia and could find its way onto the podium. China is 3-1 in pool play with the lone loss coming against the U.S. In the three victories, the Chinese team won by an average of 48 points and scored close to a 100 points a game. Even a 14-point loss to the U.S. showed China has improved from the one that finished sixth in the 2018 World Cup and fifth in last year’s Olympics.