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Fiba Asia Cup qualifying: Philippines a daunting prospect for underprepared Hong Kong
- Inexperienced squad face tough task against powerful Philippines side before flying to New Zealand for another stiff test
- Hong Kong short of personnel and training sessions after injuries, retirements, players opting out and lack of adequate medical insurance
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A hugely inexperienced Hong Kong squad face the mammoth task of trying to limit the damage in their Fiba Asia Cup qualifier against the Philippines on Thursday.
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The failure by the city’s basketball association to provide adequate medical insurance, coupled with a string of injuries, retirements and players opting out of mandated events, has left officials scratching around to find 12 players.
And sources told the Post that those who did make the squad had just four training sessions together before their qualifying campaign, which also includes a game in New Zealand this weekend.
Senior players Duncan Reid and Leung Shiu-wah will have their work cut out leading a side who include just four of the team that played in last year’s Asian Games.
Officials had stated that any players wishing to don the city’s jersey in the qualifiers must also make themselves available for minor Hong Kong team duties late last year. That ruled out three of the eight missing players.
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