Redback players in China for 5 games

Reece Hewitt (Under 15s), Jordan Rigden and Beau Tuccio (both Under 14s) have joined a touring party to play five games in China during the July school holidays.

The three guards are Year 8 students from the specialised basketball program at St Norbert College, Queens Park, and are members of a 25-strong contingent that recently left for Beijing.

The group includes 16 players, parents/guardians and coaches. The trip was organised by Ben Floyd of China Cultural Sports Tours.

Reece, Jordan and Beau are part of a nine-man team competing in a younger tournament for 13- and 14-year-olds. A team for players aged 15- to 17-years is competing in an older division.

‘I have been on more than 10 tours to China since 2001 as a player or organiser for baseball but this is the first time away with basketball,’ Floyd said.

He held a try-out day in February to select both teams and is confident that the players will handle themselves well.

The tour party has the services of a 24-hour interpreter/local guide.

Reece said he was excited by the prospect of taking on international competition although he admitted to being a little nervous about who they may come up against.

‘We don’t know too much about our opposition other than that they are players from local high schools but I suppose the Chinese kids are probably thinking the same,’ he said.

The itinerary for the week-long tour includes sightseeing excursions to the Summer Palace, Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.