China tipped Jordan on Sunday to win the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship, breaking a dry spell of sorts as the power hadn't won Asia since 2005. The win gave China a bid to the 2012 London Olympics next summer, where the team will face long odds due to the retirement of Yao Ming. Yi Jianlian was named the MVP of the Asian Championship; he averaged 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.
China Earns Bid To 2012 London Olympics; Jordan, South Korea Advance To Qualifying Tournament
Here’s the full rundown of teams who have been awarded bids to the Olympics:
- Great Britain (host nation)
- United States (2010 FIBA World Champion)
- Tunisia (African champion)
- Australia (Oceanic champion)
- Brazil (FIBA Americas finalist)
- Argentina (FIBA Americas champion)
- Spain (European finalist)
- France (European finalist)
- China (Asian champion)
Asia also advance two teams to the last-chance qualifying tournament to be held in Europe next July, where the top three finishers will join the Olympic bracket. Jordan and South Korea earned those bids, both with wins over the Philippines (Jordan in the semifinals and South Korea in the third place game). Here are the teams that have qualified for the qualifying tournament:
- Angola (African runner-up)
- Nigeria (African 3rd place)
- New Zealand (Oceanic runner-up)
- Dominican Republic (FIBA Americas 3rd place)
- Puerto Rico (FIBA Americas 4th place)
- Venezuela (FIBA Americas 5th place)
- Macedonia (European semifinalist)
- Russia (European semifinalist)
- Lithuania (European qualifier)
- Greece (European qualifier)
- Jordan (Asian runner-up)
- South Korea (Asian third place)
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