A loping run to the arc, a split-second pause and the flap of the net. It wasn’t exactly a breakthrough moment, but it will be remembered as the most famous three-pointer scored in China.As expected, Yao Ming was the centre of attention at the China-US basketball game on Sunday, and his exhilarating basket to open the scoring has already become the stuff of legends. “I was just really happy to make that shot,” was what Yao had to say after the final whistle. “It was the first score in our Olympic campaign here at home and I’ll always remember it. It represents that we can keep our heads up in the face of really tough odds.”Yao’s gritty play ensured his celebrity status remains intact, and that defeat to USA a separate statistic. Whether chasing a ball into the photographers, breaking a five-minute scoring drought, or just jumping off the bench to celebrate a team mate’s basket even after all was lost, Yao was the visual, visceral and emotional heart of China’s squad. “Yao played a great game,” said Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh, who spent much of the game defending against Yao. “He did a great job defensively at the beginning of the game. eventually we wore down on him.”The China-US game was always going to be one of the most anticipated showdowns here and the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium was filled to its 18,000-seat capacity — and beyond. “For Yao Ming, it was really a historical match, so it’s really very significant for all of us,” said Chinese forward Zhu Fangyu. Yao himself, seldom prone to outbursts of emotion or long answers, simply expressed the sentiment as: “This was a game I could hardly have imagined.”The 7-foot-6-inch Houston Rockets centre was expected to be one of the faces — if not The Face — of the Games, and his season-ending foot injury in February left the Chinese collectively holding their breath. His return was a cause of celebration, and even though China isn’t expected to win a medal in basketball, the presence of China’s biggest sporting star was a comfort and inspiration.“We’re just so happy to see him play,” said student Wang Haobin, who was lucky enough to obtain tickets and trekked across Beijing on a rainy night to catch the game. “It would have been different without him, not as special.”On Sunday, with 4:45 left in the final quarter, coach Jonas Kazlauskas called him back to the bench and Yao walked off, a raised fist to acknowledge the roaring crowd.“We’re a team, we put our hands together and look out for each other,” said Yao. “We’re going to keep plugging away.
