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Even without Yao Ming, China remains the team to beat in Friday's Asian Games gold medal game against host Qatar.

Yi Jianlian of China basketball squad goes for the ball against Jodan to sail to the basketball finals in Doha Asia Games December 13,2006.[Xinhua]

Jonas Kazlauskas' team is unbeaten in this year's tournament and China comes in with a formidable record, having won the Asian Games title four times between 1986 and 1998 and taken silver in Busan four years ago, when Yao was a regular on the team.

Qatar, which has never won a medal in the tournament, acknowledges its task is daunting.

"China dominates Asia, but we are taking it a game at a time," center Saad Abdulrahman said of China's fearsome reputation. "We have to play a perfect game."

Yao has remained in the United States for the Houston Rockets' regular season, leaving former Dallas Maverick Wang Zhizhi to take over at center. Wang, who only returned to the national team this year, has averaged 17.7 points per game in the tournament, and scored 30 points in a 94-68 blowout against Japan in the group competition.

NBA prospect Yi Jianlian has provided crucial athleticism inside, while Mo Ke and Wang Shipeng have rained down the points from field goal range.

Mo was flawless in Wednesday's semifinal against Jordan, shooting five-for-five, including three three-pointers.

"They have a nice combination of players. It will be a tough game for us," Qatar's American head coach Joseph Stiebing said.

China have lost the tournament title just once in the last two decades, a 102-100 grand final upset in overtime by South Korea at Busan in 2002. Yao scored 23 points and had 22 rebounds for China in that match, his last before joining the Rockets.

Qatar has lost once in this tournament, to South Korea, and struggled more against its opponents, despite having home court advantage.

Defense will likely be the priority, as it was in Qatar's 67-64 semifinal win over Iran, where the hosts shot only 33 percent.

"Against China, we have to depend on our defense as they are very good offensively," said Qatari guard Malek Salem Abdulla.

One question hanging over China is the fitness of big shooting forward Wang Shipeng, who was carried from the court with a leg injury midway into the third quarter Wednesday.

The Lithuanian-born Kazlauskas had said Wang's absence would be a "big loss," but there was no word on Thursday whether he would be able to play.

"With all the big and small problems we've had, I'm happy we're in the final," Kazlauskas said.