All eyes on Chinese stars

MANILA, Philippines - Two Shanghai Sharks players are expected to suit up for the Chinese national team at the FIBA-Asia Championships here on Aug. 1-11 and Filipino scouts will keep a close watch on their movements during the visitors’ games against Gilas Pilipinas at the SM MOA Arena tonight and the PBA Selection at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tomorrow.

Point guard Liu Wei, 33, and 7-3 center Zhang Zhaoxu, 25, were on the Chinese squad that took first place at the FIBA-Asia Championships in Wuhan two years ago. They saw action in China’s 75-60 win over the Philippines with Liu compiling seven assists in a starting role and Zhang coming off the bench to score three points in 5:10 minutes. The pair also played for China at the recent London Olympics where the team went winless in five outings, registering the worst point differential of 126 points in the 12-nation tournament. Liu averaged 6.2 points while Zhang 2.0 points in London.

Both players will be reacquainted with Gilas’ Marcus Douthit and Japeth Aguilar whom they faced in Wuhan. Douthit had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the game against China. Aguilar netted four points. China clobbered Gilas in turnover points, 21-5, and enjoyed a 26-point lead before settling the margin at 15.

This past Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) season, Liu averaged 21.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 32.8 minutes, shooting .321 from three-point distance and .795 from the line. Zhang averaged 8.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.9 blocked shots and 25.2 minutes. Shanghai, however, fared poorly, posting a 10-22 record to finish 14th of 17. American coach Dan Panaggio was dismissed after a 4-13 start and replaced by Wang Qun who piloted the squad to a 6-9 mark the rest of the way. Qun, 55, was a former Shanghai player who retired from active duty in 1988 and has since been in the Sharks coaching staff. He will call the shots for Shanghai in the Manila games.

Shanghai has won only one CBA crown in 2002 and was runner-up the year before. In 2009, former Houston Rockets center Yao Ming bought controlling interest in the franchise and hopes to transform the Sharks into a championship contender once more.

In tonight’s contest, Douthit and Aguilar will be joined by Greg Slaughter, Jeff Chan, Gabe Norwood, Gary David, JuneMar Fajardo, Kevin Alas, Garvo Lanete, Matt Ganuelas, R. R. Garcia and Jake and Ronald Pascual. The PBA players in the Gilas pool playing in the Commissioner’s Cup semifinals are excused from the exhibition.

The Sharks are in town without 6-10 recruit Ji Xiang of the University of Hawaii and 6-8 Taiwan standout Tseng Wei Ting. Shanghai’s 12-man lineup consists of Liu, Zhang, 6-9 Wang Yong Liang, 6-9 former Chinese national player Wang Ligang, 6-3 Meng Lingyuan, 6-5 Liu Ziqiu, 6-8 Cai Liang, 6-5 Ge Yang, 6-10 Wu Wang, 6-5 Wang Sizhang, 6-7 Zhai Yi and 5-11 Zhang Yuan.

Aside from Liu and Zhang, Shanghai’s other mainstays are Ziqiu, Cai, Ge, Meng and Ligang. Ziqiu, 31, averaged 10.3 points and shot .780 from the stripe in the CBA last season. Cai averaged 5.5 points, Ge 5.6 points, Meng 4.9 and Ligang 4.1. In 2009-09, the 30-year-old Ligang started for Shanghai and hit at a 10.1 clip. Two years ago, Ligang was on the Chinese national squad.

A player who was recently returned to the Shanghai roster is Sizhang. He played eight years for the Sharks, left in 2008 and is making a comeback with the team. Two Sharks are in their teens – Yi, 18 and Yuan, 19 – both from the junior squad.

The Shanghai delegation lists 34 individuals, including 14 from media. Yao Ming is the head of the delegation as chairman of the Shanghai Oriental Basketball Club Co., Ltd. Other officials in the group are vice general manager Zhang Chi, executive assistant Zhang Peizhong, team doctor Fei Genwei, interpreter Guo Weisheng, team manager Fu Jiajun and assistant director Yuan Qiang.

Zhang played two years with the University of California varsity before signing with the Sharks. He made his Chinese national team debut at the World Championships in Turkey in 2010. Liu has played on the Chinese national team since 2002 and is a three-time Olympic and World Championship veteran. He attended the Sacramento Kings training camp in 2004 and was the team’s last cut before the 2004-05 regular season started.