Basketball - U.S. stomp China and Yao 101-70

By Alastair Himmer

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States men's basketball team overpowered Olympic hosts China 101-70 after a pre-game huddle with American President George W. Bush on Sunday.

One of the hottest tickets of the Beijing Games, giant Chinese centre Yao Ming triggered a deafening roar from a sellout crowd of 18,000 after scoring the opening basket.

Led by the high-flying Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, the NBA's leading scorer, the Americans stormed back to take a 49-37 halftime advantage and never looked back.

Bush had playfully bumped shoulders with the players in a court-side corridor prior to the game.

His father, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, also greeted the American players, Carmelo Anthony hugging him and asking, "What's up, pops?"

The blockbuster Group B opener was likely the most-viewed sporting contest ever in China, with hundreds of millions believed to be watching on television.

"This is something I will treasure as a memory for the rest of my life," Yao told reporters. "It felt great, all the flags and cheering."

Yao hit just three of 10 shots and scored 13 points while Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 19 points and Bryant finished with 18 for the gold medal favourites.