Bayi youth team defeated Wuhan Technology University team 79-60 to place fifth at the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament here on Tuesday.

Forward Yangqin had game-high 19 points and nine rebounds for Bayi, which had defeated Wuhan in its first match at the eight-team tournament.

Zhang Bo added 16 points for Bayi, while Han Junde led Wuhan with 16 points and seven rebounds, and teammate Yu Yang contributed 12 points.

"We beat them in the opening game, so we have psychological edge over them. But I have to admit that they give us some pressure, especially in the third quarter," said Yang.

After Bali established a 37-23 lead at halftime, Wuhan fought back in the third quarter and cut the gap to 12 points at 57-45.

But Bayi did not let its opponent to go any further in the final period.

Bayi's women players failed to carry on the winning touch from their male teammates as they went down 87-79 to the Qinghai Normal University team in the fifth-sixth play-off.

Liang Tingting was the leading scorer of the Qinghai Normal University team with 20 points. She also had six rebounds and three assists.

An Xuwen added 14 points and four blocks for Qinghai, while Zhang Bailu poured in 19 points for Bayi.

In other action, the Shanghai youth team beat Shandong 66-52 to place seventh in the men's competition, while the Shenyang youth team pipped the China Mining University team for the seventh place in the women's pool.

In a bid to improve the standard of Chinese basketball, CBA and CUBA launched the tournament, which will run through Wednesday. Four top-ranked teams each in CUBA and CBA took part in the tournament.

(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2006)