Full coverage: 2016 Rio Olympics

China's men's basketball team have a tough draw in Rio with their first game against the favorites and two-time defending champions, the USA. China's coach Gong Luming hopes his squad can gain valuable experience from the stiff competition and noted that the team arrived in the Olympic Village without any incident.

China were blown out in back-to-back warm-up games against the Americans, in addition to losses to Australia and hosts Brazil during the past ten days in their build-up to their Olympic campaign.

But Gong said that these exhibition contests taught the team important lessons in terms of what they lack against these strong opponents. Undoubtedly, that was a huge help for the young squad that has an average of 23.

China were placed in Group A along with the USA, Australia, Venezuela, Serbia and France. They tip off their campaign against the American "Dream Team" Saturday.

"We had two warm-up games against the US and there is a lot for us to learn from them such as how to deal with the ball on the court.  The Americans are the top team in the world with the best players. They can show us how far away we are from the top-level," China Basketbal team's forward Zhai Xiaochun said.

China's women basketball team finished in sixth place at the London Olympics four years ago. The squad will be seeking to improve on that effort this time around.

PRC team will play Canada in the group stage on August 6th. But the coaching staff have scheduled an internal teaching match with the hosts on Thursday in Rio.

Because of time difference,  it is difficult for the team to find their own rhythm.  Although they lost the match, but the girls have the confidence to write their own history in Rio.

Chinese women gymnasts are struggling with illness and injuries ahead of the Olympic competitions, but world champion Fan Yilin is upbeat about grabbing the silver medal of the team event at Rio.

The Chinese team had podium training Thursday morning with the rotation starting from the beam. But team captain Shang Chunsong looked uncomfortable during the training session as she put on a long quilted jacket while her teammates were practicing on the uneven bars.

Fan Yilin, the world champion in the uneven bars, also has some problem with her right forearm. She said she still felt painful during Thursday's training.

The Chinese women's team finished behind the U.S. to take the silver at last year's World Championships.