Basketball-Rest of Asia should emulate China, says world chief

By N.Ananthanarayanan

NEW DELHI, July 4 (Reuters) - Asia's top basketball nations need to emulate China's success if the region is to realise its true potential in the game, the head of the sport's governing body said on Friday.

"We often think Asia is the sleeping giant of world basketball," International Basketball Federation (FIBA) president Bob Elphinston told reporters.

"The Chinese will obviously perform very well at the Olympics, but then there is quite a drop," the Australian added.

"We talk about Korea, Japan and the Philippines, who were strong in the past," he said. "We need renewed efforts by those countries.

"Philippines is a passionate basketball country, they are now reorganising themselves and they will become stronger."

Asian Games champions China have set an example through their NBA players, Houston Rocket center Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, who has moved to the New Jersey Nets, with the pair also boosting their hopes at next month's Beijing Olympics.

"We have the very best players across the 12 men's and women's teams," he said. "We expect 18,000 spectators every day for two weeks in Beijing and basketball will be watched by millions and millions of spectators around the world."