HOSTS Qatar entered the semifinals of the men’s volleyball tournament yesterday with a 3-0 victory over neighbours Bahrain.

After quelling a stiff Bahraini resistance in the opening set 25-23, Qatari spikers got into their grooves and finished off the match in three sets.

They took the second at 25-16 and followed it up with another easy 25-18 win in the third.

China, Saudi Arabia and Korea also made it to the last four of the competition.

China immediately made their presence felt by grinding out a 3–1 win over a spirited Kazakhstan side to progress to the semifinals.

Despite a shaky start the Chinese took the match 25–21, 25–20, 24–26, 25–20 at the Al-Rayyan Indoor Hall. China opened the game with a service error and their over-eagerness continued as they served two more errors. Towering Kazakh captain Svyatoslav Miklashevich was slow to develop his attack and his shots were inaccurate. A crucial block in the closing points gave China the first set.

Kazakhstan gave away valuable points from service errors in the second set. A setting error by Anton Rubtsov at a crucial point in the game added to Kazakhstan's problems. China's captain Sui Shengsheng drilled home points down the middle with his menacing spikes, giving his team a convincing 25–20 win in the second set.

The Kazakhs displayed a more disciplined defence at the back but their blocks in the third set were inadequate and allowed China to attack point after point. Then a brilliant save by libero Vladimir Derevyanko inspired a Kazakh comeback. A great spike and block saved the set for Kazakhstan 26–24.

Net mistakes late in the game hurt Kazakhstan's chances of rising from their defensive run. Rubstov's net touch sealed their fate 20–25. China will play Saudi Arabia in the semifinal tomorrow.

China’s coach Zhou Jianan said: "The players were quite nervous initially and they made quite a number of mistakes. The whole team played very well. The captain played his attack and quick spike well, too."

China, Chinese Taipei hoopsters to play in final

China will meet Chinese Taipei in the final of the women’s basketball after both teams secured semifinal victories.

Chinese Taipei will contest their first ever women’s final after defeating Japan 70-59 in a tight fought semi.

Yuka Watanabe hit two three-pointers to give Japan a first quarter lead of 18-17, but Chinese Taipei bounced back to seize a slender three point half-time advantage.

The third quarter was no less hard fought – but Chinese Taipei nudged ahead by a further three points to lead by six points going into the final quarter. Japan couldn’t respond so their opponents extended their lead by five points to win by 11 points.

"It was a tiring game at the beginning, but in the second half it got easy," said Chiang Feng Chun, who top scored for Chinese Taipei with 21 points including nine rebounds.

Chiang’s team mate, Cheng Hui Yun added: "We were confident of beating Japan before the game and it was our best [biggest winning margin] against Japan. We thought that as long as we had a common heart and played to the best of our ability, we would win the game."

In a repeat of the Busan 2002 final, defending champions China comfortably cruised past Korea, 77-53 in the earlier semifinal.

They amassed half of their 24 point victory margin in an opening quarter which saw them establish a 12 point lead.

China stretched their advantage to 15 points at half time by outscoring Korea 16-13 in the second quarter 16-13, then extended it by a further nine points in the final two periods to reach the final with ease. Chen Nan top-scored for China with 20 points.