While you were sleeping

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BEIJING -- China didn’t appear as if it were capable of beating anyone in men’s basketball, except perhaps for Angola, after the United States blew out the home team in the opener. But the Chinese took Spain into overtime in the early morning hours Tuesday.

Then the Lakers’ Pau Gasol took over, scoring nine of Spain’s 13 points in the overtime. Spain, one of the few teams considered capable of hanging with the United States, won, 85-75. Gasol finished with 29 points and eight rebounds. Yao Ming had 11 points and 10 rebounds for China.

The United States, playing in the next game, beat Angola, 97-76. Dwyane Wade had 19 points and five rebounds. Kobe Bryant had eight points and four rebounds.

Elsewhere:

(All times PDT)

11:31 p.m. (Monday) Softball fans in the United States wonder why their sport has been booted from the Olympics after this year. This was an example: an 11-0 victory over Venezuela called after five innings because of the mercy rule. Jennie Finch of La Mirada and Monica Abbott of Salinas combined for a no-hitter. The 11 runs were an Olympic record. Natasha Watley of Irvine, Caitlin Lowe of Tustin and Crystal Bustos of Canyon Country hit home runs. There’s not enough competition for countries such as the United States and Australia, who meet in the second round late tonight.

11:37 p.m. You’ve all seen the commercial by now. The U.S. team of Howard Bach and Bob Malaythong play Brian Urlacher and Big Papi in a commercial. We didn’t get to see the final score, but it sure looked like Urlacher and Big Papi were winning with ease. But don’t be fooled. Bach and Malaythong, who both train out of Orange, can play, as evidenced by their 21-10, 21-6 victory over South Africa’s Chris and Roelof Dedman. Bach and Malaythong now advance to the quarterfinals against Devin Hester and Manny Ramirez.

12:04 a.m. Still playing without Coach Hugh McCutcheon, whose mother-in-law remains hospitalized after a knife attack Saturday in a popular tourist site that killed her husband, the U.S. men’s volleyball team improved to 2-0, with a victory over Italy, 25-26, 25-22, 25-15, 25-21.

12:10 a.m. Italy also was the victim for the U.S. men’s water polo team, which won, 12-11, to go 2-0. The United States led, 12-9, with just over three minutes remaining before Italy pulled to within one goal with 1:09 remaining. Italy had the ball for the final 24 seconds but couldn’t score.

12:14 a.m. China is three for three in diving after winning the women’s 10-meter synchronized competition. Wang Xin and Chen Roulin, the subject of controversy over her true age in competition last year, were the gold medalists. The U.S. team of Mary Beth Dunnichay, who lives in Elwood, Ind., and Haley Ishimatsu of Seal Beach, the youngest members of the U.S. team, finished fifth. Mexico’s Paolo Espinosa and Tatiana Ortiz won bronze.

12:50 a.m. Glenn Eller, a deer hunter from Texas, won the gold medal in men’s double trap shooting. He beat Francesco D’Aniello, an Italian policeman. China’s Hu Binyuan came from behind in the final round to edge the United States’ Jeffrey Holguin of Yorba Linda for bronze.

3:33 a.m. After the swim of his life in the 400-meter freestyle relay, in which he anchored the United States to the gold medal Monday, Jason Lezak of Irvine easily qualified in the 100 freestyle prelims with the 11th-best time. Michael Phelps had a rare session when he didn’t have to go to the pool, but the 200 freestyle relay team that he will swim with in the finals advanced through its heat.

5:40 a.m. A rare second-round tennis match that had potential for drama didn’t. Rafael Nadal easily beat Lleyton Hewitt, 6-1, 6-2.

6:26 a.m. The Williams sisters, who won singles matches Tuesday night, survived a scare in their opening doubles match, beating Czech Republic’s Iveta Benesova and Nicole Vaidisova, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. Venus had beaten Benesova a few hours earlier in singles, 6-1, 6-4. Serena’s singles win was over Australian Samantha Stosur, 6-2, 6-0.

6:50 a.m. The U.S. women’s soccer team, which has won two straight games since an opening loss, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-0 win over New Zealand. Heather O’Reilly scored a mere 40 seconds into the match. Amy Rodriguez of Lake Forest scored the second goal.

7:03 a.m. Roger Federer had only a little more difficulty than Nadal, beating Rafael Arevalo, 6-2, 6-4.

7 a.m. Wake up, smell the black tea!

-- Randy Harvey