Yao calmly buried four free-throws down the stretch, including a go-ahead one, to help China eliminate world champions Serbia and Montenegro 67-66 on August 23 in the last game of the preliminary round of men's basketball competition.

China beat world champion 67-66

The Houston Rockets center scored 27 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to storm China into the quarter-finals in the Athens Olympics, the second time in China's basketball history.

China won the eighth place, the best-ever results in Olympics history, in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

"The Olympics is the place to create miracle. Today we made the miracle by beating the world champions," said China's point guard Liu Wei.

Zelimir Obradovic, head coach of the Serbia & Montenegro team, apparently could not accept the results and kept his head down for the whole post-game news conference.

"This is a big shock to me. This is the hardest moment in my career," Obradovic said.

China led only once after the first quarter until Yao drilled in his third free-throws in row to make it 64-63 with 28 seconds to go.

Du Feng make another two free-throws of his 12 points to give China a commanding 67-63 lead with just three seconds left in game. Milos Vujanic scored a consolation 3-pointer on the buzzer.

Predrag Drobnjak led the Serbia & Montenegro with 17 points and Dejan Tomasevic had nine points and 11 rebounds.

"The meaning of the game is not just triumph. It is a precious treasures to China's basketball and the young generations," Yao said. "I'd like to thank coach (Del) Harris for his contribution to China."

Harris, assistant coach of the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, took the role of the team in May.

"I've never coached a group of players that I have more respects for to the way they worked and the way they are as human beings as this group of young men. This is the best win I've ever had," Harris said.

China stands at the third place on the standings with two wins and three losses in Group A of the preliminary round. The Asian champions are set to advance as New Zealand and Serbia & Montenegro finished the group with one win and four losses.