Yesterdays victory over Japan ended the latters five-game winning streak in the competition as Chinas womens basketball team won its twelfth Asian title. Go, good girls, you are my heroines!

We are all aware that basketball is a game that tends to favor tall men. Why is the Chinese womens team unable to sweep all championships despite being taller than their significant but shorter rivals, Japan and South Korea? (In the 30 events of the Asia Cup, Japan won 6 times, South Korea won 12 times, and China won 12 times.) Because speed—which involves endurance and training—has always been best in either Japan or South Korea. To defeat their taller rivals, such as China, Australia, and New Zealand, they employ their quicker pace to obtain steals, fast breaks, and the chance to make three-pointers.