China Beat Lebanon 89-87 as Yang Hansen's Late Basket Breaks Cedars' Hearts
Lebanon fought China all the way in Beijing and tied it 87-87 with five seconds left, before Yang Hansen's late basket sealed a dramatic 89-87 win.
In the world of basketball, a fierce and thrilling game brought together a Lebanon national team desperate to claim its first ever win over China and, in Beijing, the Chinese capital, the host side, a dragon loaded with stars, some of whom are knocking on the door of the NBA, the most important basketball league in the world.
Match details
Every quarter was tight and full of energy. After a balanced start, China pulled nine points clear late in the first quarter, before Lebanon came back to cut into the deficit in the second, and the first half ended with only a narrow gap between the sides.
In the third quarter Lebanon moved in front and their players started knocking down threes, stretching the lead to six points in the Cedars' favour. But China, armed with their giant Yang Hansen, who stands 2.16 metres tall, managed to close the gap, work their way back into the game and then edge ahead again by a slender margin.
The fourth quarter opened with the lead changing hands several times. China took the upper hand as their centre came alive, helped by the absence of Wael Arakji, by the form of their own players, and by huge backing from a home crowd of roughly 18,000.
A dramatic finish
China led by six points with 30 seconds to play, but Lebanon refused to give in. Omar Jamaleddine hit a crucial three, and after strong Lebanese defence and a steal, Amir Saoud was fouled while shooting from beyond the arc. He sank all three free throws with ice-cold, iron nerves to level the score at 87-87.
Just five seconds remained, and Lebanon were one step away from a historic victory. But the last word belonged to China's Yang Hansen, who received the ball and scored the killer basket with four seconds left on the clock, handing China a dramatic 89-87 win.
Defeat with heads held high
A painful loss for Lebanon, but a game that confirmed the Cedars can go toe to toe with Asia's biggest names, even on their own floor and in front of their own fans, and that the Lebanese national team was only a few seconds away from a historic win.
