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High school hoopsters vie for Yao Ming Cup
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-05-28 08:45
Two-time NBA All-Star Yao Ming and Reebok International Ltd have teamed up to create China's top high school basketball tournament - the inaugural Yao Ming Cup - this weekend at Shanghai Jing'an Stadium.
Houston Rockets center Yao Ming now is one of the most popular celebrities among Chinese youngths. Yao (L) is seen driving past Karl Malone of the Los Angeles Lakers during Game five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2004 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. [AFP] |
The winner will be crowned after the championship game at 4:30 pm on Saturday.
The two-day tournament will bring together high school championship teams from Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing to battle for a 14-inch Tiffany-made trophy bearing Yao Ming's name.
Tiffany is a prestigious American manufacturer of fine jewelry and the creator of many of the sporting world's most famous awards, including championship trophies for the NFL and NBA.
The winning team will be awarded 16 tickets to one of next October's NBA China games between Yao's Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings.The Rockets and Kings will square off on October 14 in Shanghai and on October 17 in Beijing.
"I am proud to support the growth of high school basketball in China," said Yao Ming. "Increasing the number of today's youth who participate in sports is very important to me."
Winning teams from the 2003-04 Reebok China High School Basketball League (RHBL) will compete in the double-elimination tournament.
Champion teams include Beijing No 4 High School, Guangzhou's No 1 High School, and Shanghai's Shixi High School. Shanghai's No 54 High School earned a wild-card berth into the tournament.
"Our team is very excited to play for the Yao Ming Cup," said Zhang Tao of Shanghai's Shixi High. "It's going to be a fierce battle on the court because every team wants to win Yao's trophy and of course, tickets to the NBA game."
The tournament is open free to the public and starts today at 8:30 am at the Jing'an Stadium (Nanyang Road - Xikang Road, behind the Ritz-Carlton Portman Centre).
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