Two years ago, at the end of the gold medal game of the 25th FIBA Asia Championship at Tianjin, there was this man who was called all sorts. But down the time, Yi Jianlian has not only silenced those wagging tongues, but also carved a niche for himself in Chinese basketball history – emerging as the leader of a team that has faced its up and down of a team going through transition especially in the post-Yao era.

Now, China’s win over Jordan in the final of the 26th FIBA Asia Championship had more connotations than one. For one, China had automatically qualified for the 2012 London Olympics. The Chinese Dragon had slayed all its rivals – nine in all – and was back at the top of the pecking order in the FIBA Asia Championship for another.

The atmosphere was electric, the support cacophonic, the occasion momentous, nerves scattered all over and most importantly the performance irresistible. Set against that background China’s 70-69 win – albeit nervy and hard-fought – against underdogs Jordan was not only overwhelmingly logical, but also reflective of the way the Dragon had raised its head again in FIBA Asia Championship.

Call it the David Vs. Goliath; call it red hot favorite hosts Vs. unfancied underdogs; call it by another analogy as you please. The Jordan Vs. China clash for the gold medal on Sunday – and the lone automatic qualifying spot for the London Olympics from FIBA Asia – is an encounter even the most clairvoyant among us wouldn’t have dared to bet on.

China opened up the game right at the start of the second half, and then held fort to stop a feisty Korea in their tracks with a 56-43 verdict that put the hosts in their second successive – and 16th overall – appearance in a FIBA Asia Championship gold medal game.