Young Redbacks to compete in Beijing Boys and Youth Friendship Tournament
Three promising Perth Redback WABL players will soon be jetting overseas to experience an opportunity of a lifetime.
Reece Hewitt (Under 15s), Jordan Rigden and Beau Tuccio (both Under 14s) will join a touring party to play five games in China over the forthcoming July school holidays.
The three guards are Year 8 students from the specialised basketball program run at St Norbert College and will be members of a 25-strong contingent that will leave for Beijing on Thurdsay 4 July.
The travelling party includes 16 players, parents/guardians and coaches with the trip organised by Ben Floyd of China Cultural Sports Tours.
Reece, Jordan and Beau are part of a nine man team that will compete in a younger tournament for 13 and 14 year olds, whilst a team for players aged 15 to 17 years will play 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," Ben said.
Ben held a try-out day in February to select both teams and is confident that the kids will acquit themseves well.
"In the younger team there are three boys from your club plus two domestic players from the Victoria Park Saturday morning competition, along with WABL players from Kalamunda and East Perth Eagles."
The tour party is accommodated in an inner-city hotel and has the services of a 24 hour interpreter/local guide.
Reece (14) is very excited by the prospect of taking on international competition although he admits 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. It's going to be great fun and I can't wait," Reece said.
The itinerary for the week-long tour includes a Welcome Dinner, sightseeing excursions to the Summer Palace, Forbidden City, Tianeman Square and, of course, The Great Wall of China.
There is also a chance to spend plenty of pocket money on basketball apparel with "authentic" shoes and NBA playing singlets galore available from SILK Alley.
"You can never have enough basketball shoes," said Reece
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