ATHENS, Aug. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Pau Gasol had a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead European runner-up Spain past Asian champion China 83-58 at the Athens Olympics men's basketball tournament opening here on Sunday.

　　Gasol also won a head-to-head "battle" with NBA star ce nter YaoMing, who was ejected some four minutes from the end after committing his fifth foul of the match on Gasol.

　　Yao finished with 12 points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes for China.

　　"I feel very bad," said the 2.26-meter Yao after the preliminary pool A match. "I am really upset, I got hurt almost every time playing for the national team."

　　Spain pulled away with a 19-2 burst connecting the third and fourth quarter for an unshakable 71-45 lead with six minutes left.

　　"We are in great shape," said Gasol. "We played hard against a great team and we managed to start the Olympic tournament with a very good performance."

　　"If we continue to play like this, we can dream of an Olympic medal," he added.

　　Gasol, who missed most of the first quarter with a bleeding nose, scored nine points to early in the second to inspire Spain to a 17-5 run that gave the Europeans a 35-23 lead with less than five minutes remaining in the first half.

　　"I hope not to have a serious problem," Gasol said. "I will have an x-ray when we are back to the Olympic Village."

　　The Spaniards were 31-for-66 from the field, against China's 20-for-62.

　　Twelve teams are competing in two preliminary groups at the Athens Olympics men's basketball tournament with top four finishers from each group qualifying for the quarter-finals. Enditem