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China basketball qualifies for 2016 Olympics

China Basketball China Philippines

China’s Zhou Qi, right, Calvin Abueva of the Philippines, 8, and Joachim Gunther Thoss, 23, vie for a rebound in the final of the FIBA Asia Championship in Changsha in south China’s Hunan province Saturday Oct. 3, 2015. China won 78-67. (Chinatopix Via AP) CHINA OUT

AP

China has secured the ninth and final Olympic men’s basketball berth awarded this year.

China earned the bid to the 2016 Rio Games with a 78-67 win over the Philippines. 2016 first-round draft prospect Qi Zhou had 16 points and 14 rebounds, setting up the Olympics to be his big introduction to American fans.

Former NBA player Yi Jianlian won tournament MVP by averaging 16.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 blocks per game.

This will be China’s ninth straight Olympic appearance.

The Philippines, who got 17 points from Andray Blatche in the final, will still go to an Olympic Qualifying Tournament next summer with a chance to reach Rio.