HANGZHOU, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- As the final free throw by Wan Jiyuan sailed through the basket, cheers and applause erupted at the Deqing Geographic Information Park Basketball Court on Sunday night.

To the delight of hundreds of home spectators, China's women's 3x3 basketball team beat Mongolia 21-12 to retain their Asian Games title. As Sunday marked the 74th anniversary of the founding of PR China, the triumph held extra significance to the Chinese players.

Amid the background melody of "I love you, China!", Wan and her teammates hugged each other and waved their hands in jubilation.

"I feel so happy today, as it is our National Day. My parents also came to support me on the spot. I'm more than delighted," said a beaming Wan Jiyuan.

In the stands, Wan Bingcai, Jiyuan's father, along with his wife, waved a Chinese national flag, cheering throughout the game. When the final whistle was blown, his eyes welled up with tears.

"As long as she competes in China, I will definitely be with her," said Wang Bingcai, who flew in last week from northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

"But I didn't tell her where we were seated. If she knows where we sit, it might result in her distraction. We just want her to focus on the game," he added.

Throughout the Hangzhou Asiad, Wan Bingcai and his wife wore No. 13 jerseys during China's games. "Thirteen is the number of her national team's jersey," said the father. "I feel so proud of my daughter."

It seemed that China might face a stiff challenge when Mongolia's Ariuntsetseg Bat-Erdene netted two points with a long-range effort. However, Wan Jiyuan and Chen Mingling's consecutive points in the paint helped China pull ahead after the game was tied at 6-6.

The Mongolian team retaliated with speed, narrowing the deficit to four points with less than four minutes remaining.

"At that moment, there was only one voice in my mind: we must win!" Chen Mingling recalled.

An edge in rebounds and dominance in the paint eventually propelled China to the victory. Wan Jiyuan was the top scorer with nine points.

"We are even more excited to witness the moment of her team winning the championship for our motherland on National Day," said Wan Bingcai. Enditem

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