China's Yi Jianlian - 'Tough time, great experience'

RIO DE JANEIRO (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - China signed off from a second straight Olympic campaign with no wins on Sunday night when they fell to Serbia in Group A, 94-60.

For veteran Yi Jianlian, there were mixed emotions. He spoke after the game.

It's been a tough Olympics in terms of results for China with five losses in as many games, but was that not expected?
Yi Jianlian: The team is young. We know we're young, we don't have a lot of players who have played before (in major tournaments). We still have to learn, we've got to face ourselves.

Wang Zhelin (CHN), 22, played at his first Olympics

While China have the inexperienced squad, as an athlete you still want to challenge for medals and at least get to the knocked round as you did in 2004 and 2008.
Yi Jianlian: We've got to learn before (hand). You can't use the Olympics to learn, but that's what it is for a young team. It's basketball, it's part of a career. Tough time, great experience.

For you, it was a fourth Olympics. That's an amazing accomplishment.
Yi Jianlian: I'm always proud, really proud for the country. It's my fourth time, I remember my first time, playing for my country in the Olympics in 2004. It's like a dream, since I started playing basketball, wearing the uniform with the flag.

FIBA