Chinese players pose during the awarding ceremony of the women's basketball final match against Chinese Taipei at Doha Asiad, Qatar, Dec. 14, 2006. China beat Chinese Taipei 90-59 to win the gold medal. (Xinhua Photo/Yang Lei)

China trounced Chinese Taipei 90-59 to defend the Asian Games women's basketball title here on Thursday.

Miao Lijie, a former WNBA player, ended the third quarter with an unbelievable back-field three-pointer at the buzz, helping China to a 74-43 lead and making the fourth quarter junk time.

"The Asian Games is part of our journey to Beijing (Olympic Games)," said Thomas Maher, head coach of the Chinese team. "I have never seen a team younger than us. I think we still have to improve in many ways."

Chinese Taipei, making its first appearance in an Asian Games final, trailed by just three points in the first quarter, but was well beaten from the second half.

"We had thought of the loss, but never thought of such a big loss," said Chien Wei Chuan, captain of the Chinese Taipei team, which was edged by four points in their last meet in the final of the 2005 East Asian Games.

Lin Hung Ling-yao, coach of the Chinese Taipei team, expressed her great disappointment.

"It's really discouraging," she said. "I don't think we have such a big gap with the Chinese team."

"My team didn't perform very well. Chiang Feng Chun committed three fouls at the early part of the first quarter, which made us very passive in the inside," she added.

The Chinese center duo Chen Xiaoli and Chen Nan were proven too strong for their opponents, whose average height was nine centimeters shorter than the Chinese.

Chen Xiaoli hit a game-high 21 points plus 12 rebounds while Chen Nan added 19 points and 10 rebounds.

"For me, Chen Nan is the best player of the tournament," said Maher. "It is unbelievable to me how much she has improved."

Miao, who displayed strong personal basketball here, contributed 20 points and five assists.

Lin Hui Mei led Chinese Taipei with 18 points.

Editor: Donald