BEIJING - With top star Yi Jianlian on the court, Chinese national basketball team defeated Angola 73-62 on Saturday to start the three-day warm-up series in Kunshan, East China's Jiangsu province.

Yi, former sixth overall pick in 2007 NBA Draft, played 20 minutes for the host team, taking 10 points and seven rebounds.

Chinese center Zhou Qi got a game-high 13 points. Yanick Moreira had 11 points for Angola.

The two sides had a very close first quarter, in which China edged the visiting team 13-12. China made full use of their size in the second period and finished the first half with a 10-point advantage.

The third quarter saw a much tougher team China. Yi, Zhou and another big man, Wang Zhelin, continued to put pressure on their opponents in the paint, widening the gap to more than 20 points.

Angola fared better beyond the arc in the final quarter, but their three-pointers came too late to change the result.

Both China and Angola will take part in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, which will be held in eight Chinese cities from August 21 to September 15.