BEIJING, Jul 30 (AP) -- Chinese media reacted angrily Saturday after fans threw bottles, cups and a shoe at Puerto Rico's basketball team after two Chinese players started an on-court brawl during the six-nation Stankovic Cup tournament.

The state-run China Daily newspaper called Friday's violence during the tournament at Beijing, "Chinese basketball's most shameful night."

The brawl erupted after China's Yi Jianlian went in for a layup and was fouled by Puerto Rico's Manuel Narvaez, the report said. It said the fighting was started by China's Li Nan and Mo Ke, who rushed onto the court from the bench.

The violence spread to the stands, prompting referees to cut short the game with one minute left and China ahead 91-80, the report said.

"Fists, plastic cups, water bottles and even a fan's shoe went flying in during the fracas," the China Daily said.

A photo in the newspaper showed Puerto Rican players shielding their heads with upturned chairs as they left the court.

"We should say sorry to all the fans," the China Daily quoted an unidentified Chinese basketball official as saying.

The spectators included Houston Rockets star Yao Ming, a member of China's national team.

"China's men's basketball team should draw a lesson from this incident," Yao was quoted as saying on the Internet site Sohu.com.

Yao is recuperating from ankle surgery and is not competing in the Stankovic Cup.

"This is the ugliest scene I have ever experienced in my life," basketball fan Wang Kai was quoted as saying. "The Puerto Rico players have traveled more than 30 hours to come to China and they are our guests. As the host team, how can we treat them with such disdain?"

Other teams in the tournament are Argentina, Lithuania, Australia and Angola.