The last time China won an Olympic medal in basketball was at the 1992 Barcelona Games, when the women's squad finished runner-up in the game's ordinary 5-a-side version.

Besides the good news from the basketball court, Team China also gained No 2 position in the medal tally on Wednesday as it clinched three golds in a row and broke the world record in women's quadruple sculls.

After the fifth day of the Games, China had earned a total of 12 golds, six silvers and nine bronzes. Japan continued to lead the table with 13 gold, four silver and five bronze medals. The United States was in third place with 11 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze medals.