Chinese women basketball team guard Miao Lijie, whose signature smile has weathered the team's ups and downs in a decade, takes a shot at clinching a spot in the Beijing Olympic Games semis, where she expects to beam in capping her hoop career.

The Chinese women's team, which grabbed a bronze at the Los Angeles Games and a silver at Barcelona 1992, placed only ninth in Athens 2004.

Miao and her teammates see the Beijing Olympics a chance to deliver a long-awaited comeback, aware of a plenty of tough hurdles ahead.

"I pin all my basketball dream on the Beijing Olympics," the 28-year-old guard said. "We are to offer our best performances."

China will vie against the United States, Spain, the Czech Republic, New Zealand and Mali in a round-robin women's preliminary round for a berth in the quarter-finals.

Eying qualifying for the semis, they try to finish second after the Americans in the preliminary round Group B.

The 1.78m Miao, dubbed as one of "the double tactics pillars" of the Chinese team on the court, will use her extensive offense as well as fast-paced techniques to power the team to accomplish the goal.

Miao played for Sacramento Monarchs in WNBA in 2005 and led the Chinese women team grabbing Asian champion and Asian Games title, adding WCBA most valuable player and highest scorer to her credits.

Born On June 3, 1980, she was picked by the national youth team at the age of 14, contributing to the winning of the Asian Youth Championships title in 1996.

Joining the national team in 1997, Miao, from northeast Heilongjiang Province, has experienced high-geared training and expects to wind up her basketball career after the Beijing Games.

"I'm so exhausted and need a break," Miao said. "I might retire from the arena after the Beijing Olympics."

In Beijing, Miao is expected by her fans to exhibit her performance and, of course, her smile, to burnish the conclusion of a spectacular career.

(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2008)