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Agence France-Presse

Yao Ming looked on helplessly and fans were left in tears as hosts China failed to progress to the second round of the Basketball World Cup with a 72-59 defeat to Venezuela on Wednesday.
In a do-or-die battle to reach the next stage, it was the South Americans who appeared to relish silencing a vocal, packed crowd at Wukesong Arena in Beijing.

And1⃣ #VENCHN

Jiwei Zhao's trying to get China back in the game !#WorldGotGame

https://t.co/U6RPjx3FuZ pic.twitter.com/cdPzvWK2fz
— Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) September 4, 2019

Basketball, along with soccer, is the most popular sport in China. But that has failed to result in a top-class team and there is no current successor to trailblazer Yao.
The former Houston Rockets All-Star, now 38, took over as head of the Chinese Basketball Association in 2017 and set about reforming an entrenched state development system that he says badly needs an overhaul.
He might want to ramp up his development plan after this demoralising showing on home soil, the Venezuela defeat giving China a record of one victory – over the Ivory Coast – against two losses.

Even neutrals had expected them to successfully negotiate a weak group A, where Venezuela joined Poland in the last 16, while a public of 1.4 billion was as expectant as ever.
China, ranked 30th in the world, placed its hopes largely on the shoulders of a towering front court of three seven-footers: Yi Jianlian, Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin.
But the hosts were never really in the game against the sharpshooting Venezuelans, ranked 20th, and China trailed a daunting 33-22 at half-time.

They made inroads on that deficit at the start of the third quarter and late in the fourth, getting within seven points, but the comeback fell short in front of the watching Yao and thousands of deflated redshirted spectators.
Because of the format of the World Cup, China’s tournament is not over and they will now need to rally themselves to compete in a low-key classification round with Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying in play.


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FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019

Yao Ming powerless as hosts China flop at Basketball World Cup

Yao Ming can’t hide his disappointment after his team lost to Venezuela at the Basketball World Cup. Photo: EPA

epa07816589 Chinese fans hold a picture of former NBA star Yao Ming during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Group A first round match between Venezuela and China in Beijing, China, 04 September 2019. EPA-EFE/ROMAN PILIPEY

Basketball - FIBA World Cup - First Round - Group A - Venezuela v China - Wukesong Sport Arena, Beijing, China - September 4, 2019. Venezuela's Nestor Colmenares in action with China's Qi Zhou and Jianlian Yi. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Yao Ming’s post-NBA retirement plan in the Napa Valley’s wine business falls victim to China’s tit-for-tat tariffs on US products

Retired Chinese basketball superstar Yao Ming signing a bottle of Yao Ming sauvignon cabernet of Yao Family Wines. Photo: SCMP

Retired Chinese basketball superstar Yao Ming, right, signs on a bottle of red wine bidden by Bruno Wu, Co-Founder and Chairman of Sun Media Investment Holdings Limited, at a charity banquet and auction for the Special Olympics in Shanghai, China, 27 November 2011.

The Yao Ming cabernet sauvignon of Yao Family Wines from the Napa Valley being served at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Beijing on 24 November 2012. Photo: SCMP

Yao Ming wants Chinese basketball to learn from NBA – but says local DNA is key to winning over young fans

Yao Ming is chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association. Photo: AP

FILE - In this Oct. 26, 2018, file photo, Los Angeles Dodgers' Manny Machado watches his single against the Boston Red Sox during the sixth inning in Game 3 of the baseball World Series in Los Angeles. Andrew Friedman knew he was getting a player who didn't hustle all the time when he traded for Machado. Still, the Dodgers' president of baseball operations was willing to acquire the four-time All-Star infielder because his good points outweighed the bad. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2008, file photo, China's Yao Ming of the NBA's Houston Rockets reacts at the end of men's basketball game against Germany at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing. This year's Hall of Fame class includes a star-studded field of potential finalists, including Shaquille O'Neal, Yao Ming and Allen Iverson. That trio should be a lock to get in. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic, File)

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Fans left in tears as home side fail to progress to the second round of tournament following loss to Venezuela
China will now compete in the low-key classification round with Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying in play



Fans left in tears as home side fails to progress to the second round of tournament after loss to Venezuela at Wukesong Arena in Beijing


NBA (National Basketball Association)

CBA (Chinese Basketball Association)

Venezuela

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Yao Ming powerless as hosts China flop at Basketball World Cup

Fans left in tears as home side fail to progress to the second round of tournament following loss to Venezuela China will now compete in the low-key classification round with Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying in play

Fans left in tears as home side fail to progress to the second round of tournament following loss to Venezuela

China will now compete in the low-key classification round with Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying in play