Chinese boys far advanced in caging

BEIJING — If this Nike All-Asia Basketball Camp 02 is any indication, then it can be said China’s future in the sport is very well safe and secure. Too bad, the same can’t be said of the Philippines.

Thanks to Nike Philippines, even the six young boys it sent here to join the camp have realized how China has vastly improved and have seen for themselves that the Philippines is lagging even behind Korea and Taiwan.

And that was only after the first full day of training and competition in the camp, which assembled 60 young, talented players — all 16 years old and below — in the region.

Only halfway through the day’s activities, two Filipinos were already rooted on the bench with one, Johan Uichico, sustaining a sprained ankle and the other, Michael Vincent Baldos, suffering cramps.

It practically appeared like they were thrown in a lion’s den.

China did the carnage with its tall, agile players — no less than 20 standing 6-foot-8 and above — dominating the activities, showing up one another and leaving the Filipinos awe-struck on the sideline.

For how can the Filipino players match up with Chinese counterparts five inches or more taller? Alas, the Chinese seem to be even more fundamentally sound and more physically fit. Uichico (6-foot-2), Baldos (6-foot-2) and Ken Barracoso (6-foot-1), all playing big positions as junior players back home, were reduced to playing three (small forward) or two (shooting guard) spots here. Still, they face taller and quicker — if not more talented — defenders.

Pointguards Rejan Lee, Joseph Casio and John Calger Condevillamar, meanwhile, just couldn’t respond to the urgings of the coaches to keep on pushing the ball — obviously lacking in stamina unlike the Chinese, Taiwanese and Korean guards.

Curiously, Baldos, the Filipino player who should be the most fit being a member of the RP training pool, was the first to call it quits in the day because of cramps.

The Filipino players conceded the Chinese have come a long way and could only wonder what went wrong with Philippine basketball.

"Akala ko lamang lang sila sa height. Iyun pala sa basic fundamentals pa lang lamang na rin sila," said Barracoso.

"Grabe ang mga Chinese. Naging eye-opener sa akin ang nakita ko dito," said Uichico.

Actually, even national coach Jong Uichico has noted that international basketball has changed with emphasis on running during their stint in an international invitational tournament in Italy a week ago.

And that basically was what camp director Rich Sheubrooks emphasized when he first time gathered the campers on the playing court. He blurted out: "Basketball is a game of quickness."

NIKE CAMP NOTES: The 60 players have been divided into six teams and playing a mini-tournament in between lectures, demonstrations and drills. Casio and Condevillamar are with the Lakers team, Baldos and Uichico with the Nuggets and Barracoso and Lee with the Wizards. Baldos played well in their first game Thursday morning as he even ended up the second best scorer with 20 points. However, he sat out their evening game due to cramps. . . Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovic arrived in this city Wednesday and is negotiating with the Chinese Basketball Administration for the release of 7-foot-4 Chinese behemoth Yao Ming.