China's London prospects suffer a blow

BEIJING - China's determination to win the Asia Championship suffered a huge blow on Tuesday when Wang Shipeng, captain of the national basketball squad, suffered a wrist fracture during a tune-up match against Australia and could miss the Sept 15-25 continental tournament in Wuhan, Hubei province.

Injury-plagued China must win the title to book the region's only ticket to the London Olympic Games.

Adding to the struggling team's woes was a humiliating 71-43 loss to the Aussies at the London International Basketball Invitation event, a trial tournament ahead of the 2012 Olympics.