Rubio stars as Spain clobber lowly Tunisia

PHOENIX Suns star Ricky Rubio led Spain with 17 points as the title contenders made a slow start to their Basketball World Cup campaign in a 101-62 victory over Tunisia on Saturday.

The Olympic bronze medallists have been touted as a threat to reigning twotime champions the United States, who are without their big names in China.

But the Spanish were not at their best in the first half against minnows Tunisia despite boasting Marc Gasol, the 34-year-old centre who played a key role in the Toronto Raptors’ historic run to the NBA crown.

Spain led by just three points at half-time and there was the whiff of a huge upset, but they stepped on the gas after that in Guangzhou with Rubio also clocking up a leading nine assists.

“Always the first game is a little tricky, you don’t know how it will go,” said the 28-year-old point guard, who joined the Suns this summer, adding his team had not been aggressive enough at the outset.

“Playing with the national team is different (from the NBA),” he added.

“You play with your friends, for your country, and for your family too. “It’s huge.”

Hosts China suffered a fright against the Ivory Coast before battling to victory against the lowest-ranked in the 32-team competition.

A rabid sell-out crowd at Wukesong Arena in Beijing was silenced as the Ivorians, ranked a lowly 64th in the world to China’s 30th, took a shock lead into the second quarter.

The home side, who boast a towering front court of three seven-footers -- Yi Jianlian, Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin -- were in danger of getting swallowed up by high expectations.

But China pulled level

29-29 at the break and willed on by the home crowd suffocated the Ivory Coast into submission, 70-55.

There was disappointment for visiting President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, whose side were well beaten 108-62 by Italy. - Savage Serbia -

Strongly fancied Serbia made a similarly ruthless start to their World Cup assault, thrashing Angola 105-59 in the opening match of the tournament.

Serbia were strong favourites against Angola in the southern city of Foshan and wasted no time stamping their mark on the World Cup.