Tall Chinese girl to join RP 5

DOHA, Qatar – The RP women’s team has found a naturalization candidate ahead of Smart Gilas Pilipinas – 6-3 Chinese Zheng Xiao Jing.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas had already secured all of Zheng’s papers including the approval of her homeland and should file them with the papers of the candidate Smart Gilas will pick next week at the start of the 15th Congress this July.

“We actually only received her papers from China recently but since there is a recess in Congress, we couldn’t file it right away so we might as well submit it along with our naturalization candidate for Smart Gilas,” said SBP executive director Noli Eala.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is looking to enlist a 6-foot-3 Fujian native to beef up the women’s national team preparing for the Southeast Asia Basketball Association Championship this October.

Eala said Zheng, who was the top player for a Fujian club team that placed eighth in the women’s Chinese Basketball Association two year ago, has been practicing with the Nationals for over a year now and has built a strong relationship with the rest of the team.

RP coach Haydee Ong, who was with the team to play three exhibition games with the Qatar national squad starting Sunday, discovered Zheng in China during their training camp six years ago.

“She’s quite good, she’s what we need, a big player who could play defense and get the rebounds,” said Eala. “She has a little problem with agility but she’s with the team for a long time now, she’s already used to the team.

“Coach Heidi also speaks very high of her so we’re supporting her,” he added.