It is the dream of every basketball player to win the NBA trophy. That wish came true for Hong Kong's Oliver Chan Chin-chun at the adidas Superstar Camp in Shanghai. Although it was only a symbolic gesture, the 18-year-old player said he was excited to get his hands on the trophy. 'I was nervous and thrilled. I didn't expect the photographer to ask me to hold the trophy and take a picture,' he said. Oliver and Chan Yiu-cho, both members of this year's school inter-port champion team, have just returned from a five-day training stint on the mainland. They were joined by 46 top players aged 15 to 18 from the Asia-Pacific region. In Shanghai, the teenagers received instructions from some top coaches and players from the United States. Training together with elite young players from the mainland, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines was an eye-opening experience for the Hong Kong representatives. 'It was fun. And I've learnt a lot,' said Yiu-cho, also 18. 'There are lots of great players my age - they have fantastic skills and are physically strong. I realised that I was not working hard enough.' Oliver was impressed by the concentration displayed by the camp participants. 'Although the atmosphere was quite relaxed, everyone was serious about the training,' the guard said. 'The training exposed my inadequacies and showed how I could improve.' Under the watchful eye of Washington Wizards' point guard Gilbert Arenas, who was named the NBA's Most Improved Player for 2002/2003, former NBA assistant coach Scott Layden and college coach Ken Potosnak, the teenagers honed their fundamental skills such as shooting, defence and basic attack moves. Yiu-cho, who is also a guard, said the camp gave him a better understanding of the game, adding that he now had a better idea of defensive tactics and how he could help his teammates during an attack. Although neither of the Hong Kong teenagers were selected for the All-Star game on the last day of the camp, believed the trip was very rewarding. 'During the training, I had to take on players who were much taller than me. I've got more used to playing under pressure,' said Oliver.
