Zhai, 19, and Zhu, 20, emerged last season to play key roles in Beijing's first CBA title

Now that they've won the CBA title, the Beijing Ducks are setting about the business of trying to win the future.

The team is focusing on two of the young players who helped it to the first championship in franchise history.

Former junior national forward Zhai Xiaochuan and second-tier-league all-star Zhu Yanxi emerged as vital components of the Ducks' success, and should help the team stay competitive for years to come.

"(The championship) couldn't have happened without (the young players') contribution," Ducks head coach Min Lulei said. "Honestly, it's hard for a young guy to come up and play well consistently in the first year. I am lucky to have two. I have faith in them and they've returned my trust with elite performances."

Drafted from the second team last year, Zhai and Zhu started to draw attentions during the Ducks' 13-win streak last December, when they consistently replaced captain Chen Lei and veteran Ji Zhe in the starting lineup.

Boasting athletic ability and a versatile skill set, Zhai has been growing as a prolific scorer and tenacious rebounder. The 19-year-old ended the season with 11.4 points and a team-high 3.8 offensive rebounds per game.

The 20-year-old Zhu played well beyond the arc, knocking down 63 3-pointers to lead all rookies, while guarding the paint effectively.

Their solid play in tense games earned them minutes in the Finals, where they combined to average 23.4 points and 8.6 rebounds to help the Ducks stun the seven-time champion Guangdong Southern Tigers in five games.

Both were nominated as candidates for the Finals MVP and selected to the national team training camp for this summer's London Olympics.

Teammates were impressed.

"The best praise for them is they don't play like rookies on the court. They played mature basketball with a lot of intensity and mental toughness," said starting guard Lee Hsueh-lin, who's also a nominee for the MVP.

American import Randolph Morris agreed.

"All they can do is get better," Morris said. "The sky is the limit for these guys."

The duo attributed their improvements to the guidance of the team's veterans, especially former NBA star Stephon Marbury.

"I have to say thanks to (Marbury)," Zhai said after scoring 22 points in the decisive Game 5. "He keeps pushing us in practice, assisting us on the court and motivating us in the locker room. I've become a more confident player with him beside me."

Zhu said the team has shown him unconditional trust.

"I feel so lucky to be on this team," Zhu said. "Coach believed in us, despite the fact we played badly sometimes. So did the older players."

Marbury shrugged off his impact.

"Those two players are definitely prominent in the future of China," he said recently during an interactive fan session. "I didn't really do much for them, because they know how to play the game of basketball. It's easy to get them right back on track.

"They did the work. I don't take any credit for it. I just take credit for telling them don't worry, keep playing. You're gonna make mistakes. Sometimes, for the young players when they get down, you just need to refresh them and reboot them. That's what I really did."

Now comes an even bigger challenge keeping their spots in the national team's camp.

"I don't think much about (the chance to play in the London Olympics)," Zhai said. "They get great facilities and a bunch of top players there. That's what I care about - I can learn a lot there."

Chen warned them to keep clear heads amid the hype, as there remains room for them to improve.

"They've done a great job this season but they are not finished yet," Chen said. "I think they should keep working hard and hopefully don't miss their way on the next stage."

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/19/2012 page22)