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Mike Chan

South China are aiming to make an impact when their Basketball Champions League Asia campaign begins next week, and have some old faces on hand to help their cause.
Playing in their first overseas competition in more than 40 years, the Hong Kong side have temporarily brought back four former players to bolster their line-up.
Dominic Gilbert and Glen Yang have come in from A1 Division rivals Hong Kong Eastern, Leung Shiu-wah returns from Winling, while Tsai Choi-kwan comes back from Tycoon.
The 17-time domestic champions, who won the league last year, will face Mongolian club Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos at Southorn Stadium on Monday, before taking on Taiwanese teams New Taipei Kings and Taoyuan Pauian Pilots on Tuesday and Thursday.
“It’s like a homecoming,” said Yang, who left to join the now-disbanded Bay Area Dragons in January 2022. “South China is the club that many of us grew up with.
“To come back and play is a great feeling, and hopefully we can do some damage. Maybe try to move on to the next round.
“It’s going to be tough because all the other teams in the group play in the East Asia Super League, but we have some advantages too; our local players are good.”

Vancouver-born Yang, who has recently completed his naturalisation process to play for Hong Kong, said South China also boasted some good chemistry.
“A lot of us have played together before: me, Dominic [Gilbert] and Tommy [Nixon],” the 29-year-old guard said. “I think our imports, Rodrigue Andela and Kyvon Davenport, have a lot of experience, so we’ll be versatile, and be able to run up and down the court quickly. We’ll be a fast team.”
With guard Kelvin Tsang Cham-yuen and forward Yip Yiu-pong the only players in the regular line-up with international experience, the addition of veterans Leung and Tsai, who both played for the club between 2015 and 2022, was expected to help fill that gap.
“I think most of the local players are used to playing only in Hong Kong, and might think our sizes [make us] big and are competitive,” said Leung, who has played in EASL and for the Hong Kong Bulls at a national level in recent years. “But internationally, our size is not as much of an advantage as we think.
“So we can’t play in the same way as we do in Hong Kong; we have to play smart, and develop something that can showcase our strengths on the international stage.”
Gilbert, an Australian-Croatian forward who was born in the city, played alongside current head coach Lo Yi-ting when he was in the team eight years ago.

“Time has obviously flown by. I have a lot of respect for what he’s done, winning the league in his first season as coach, and playing in the Chinese Basketball Association for five years,” said the 30-year-old, who was named A1 Division Finals MVP this month.
“I am looking forward to actually being coached by him, and hopefully, we can go as far as possible.”
Tickets for the matches against the two Taiwanese teams sold out quickly, and starting guard Tsang, who has just turned 26, said he hoped South China could play to the best of their ability.
“If the team needs me to score more points, I will definitely step up,” he said. “I also want to connect with my teammates.
“I just want to make the right decisions on the court. It’s not about scoring lots of points or filling up the stat sheet, it’s about getting a win for the team, and just staying aggressive.”


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South China bringing back some old hands as they start Champions League Asia campaign

South China’s recruits (from left) Leung Shiu-wah, Dominic Gilbert, Glen Yang and Tsai Choi-kwan flanking coach Lo Yi-ting. Photo: Handout

Canada-born Glen Yang says playing for South China is “like a homecoming”. Photo: Handout

Dominic Gilbert (right) in practice with import Kyvon Davenport. Photo: Handout

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Hong Kong Eastern captain Adam Xu is looking forward to the challenge that awaits. Photo: Hong Kong Eastern

Rookie forward Ivan Yang chats to local media after his side’s A1 Division triumph. Photo: Hong Kong Eastern

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Sherman Chan is focused on a bold future for ice hockey in Hong Kong. Photo: Karma Lo

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Sport

Basketball

Hong Kong

Hong Kong side will take on Mongolian club Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos, and Taiwanese teams New Taipei Kings and Taoyuan Pauian Pilots next week


Hong Kong side will take on Mongolian club Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos, and Taiwanese teams New Taipei Kings and Taoyuan Pauian Pilots next week.


Basketball Association of Hong Kong, China

East Asia Super League

South China bringing back some old hands as they start Champions League Asia campaign

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Hong Kong side will take on Mongolian club Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos, and Taiwanese teams New Taipei Kings and Taoyuan Pauian Pilots next week

Hong Kong side will take on Mongolian club Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos, and Taiwanese teams New Taipei Kings and Taoyuan Pauian Pilots next week