The 2002 NBA top pick Yao Ming sparkled with 23 points and 22 rebounds but failed to keep China from surrendering the Asian Games men's basketball title to South Korea here Monday evening.

The South Koreans, losers to China at the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998, beat the Chinese 102-100 in overtime to win their first Asian Games men's basketball gold medal in 20 years.

With China trailing 101-97 and 21.5 seconds on the clock, Hu Weidong made three free throws to make it 101-100. But Moon Kyung-eun, who had 10 points in the match, got one from the line three seconds from the end to seal the victory and the first Asian Games' title since the 1982 New Delhi Asiad for South Korea.

Moon had an open layup to make South Korea lead 99-94 with 1:48remaining in the overtime. Liu Yudong made one of two free throws24 seconds later to make it a four-point game.

South Korea improved to 101-95 before Liu made both free throwswith 53.6 seconds to go to pull China within 101-97.

Li Nan scored six points to lift China to a 11-3 run in the fourth quarter which gave them an 84-71 advantage with three minutes and 17 seconds remaining in the regular time. However, South Korea staged a 19-6 burst in the rest of the fourth quarter,during which their sharp shooters Bang Sung-yoon and Lee Sang-min were fouled out, to tie it 90-90 and force the overtime.

"We stayed focused in the match, especially in the fourth quarter, which led us to the win," said South Korea head coach KimJin after leading the hosts to their seven straight win at the Asiad.

"China is a very strong team, but I think we have advantage over them in speed."

Chinese coach Wang Fei attributed the loss of the reigning Asian champions to their mistakes in the final minutes of the fourth period.

"We played really bad in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter," Wang said. "Our players made quite a few mistakes that they should not make when we led by seven points."

China led 90-83 with 32.5 seconds remaining in the fourth but allowed South Korea to make three straight baskets in half a minute. Chinese veteran Hu Weidong missed both of his free throwswith 17.6 seconds to go and China leading 90-88.

"We did not expect to lose," Wang said. "We had full confidenceto win, but I think the players have tried their best."

China, who beat the opponents by an average margin of over 50 points, staged a 10-2 run amid the second quarter for a 43-26 leadwith 4:48 left in the first half.

South Korea pulled within 61-57 late in the third quarter before Yao gave China a 67-62 lead into the fourth with a single-hand dunk.

The Chinese women had similar experience but different result in the women's basketball final. They held off a strong late surge from South Korea to beat the hosts 80-76 and claim their first Asian Games title in 16 years.

Trailing 63-53 after three quarters, South Korea opened the fourth with a 21-4 run to store a 74-67 lead with four minutes and35 seconds remaining.

China pushed back with a 9-2 run and Sui Feifei made two free throws with 1:45 to go to tie it 76-76.

Chen Luyun had a short basket with 45 seconds left and added anopen layup nine seconds from the end to ice the victory.

"It was a hard game, we endured severe mental challenge," said triumphant Chinese head coach Gong Luming.

Sui Feifei led four Chinese women in double digits with 18 points, Chen Nan added 14 points and 14 rebounds.

The South Korean women, who were known for their sharp shooters,made only two of their 13 three-point attempts.

(Xinhua News Agency October 15, 2002)