Top school basketball players will carry Hong Kong's hopes at the 23rd men's FIBA Asia Championships which starts in Doha, Qatar, today.
The SAR are in Group D with India, Jordan and Lebanon, who finished fourth at the last Asia Championships two years ago.
This year, there are 16 teams divided into four groups, with the final on September 16. The Hong Kong Basketball Association (HKBA) has included several young players in the squad. The HKBA hopes that they will be able to fill the gap left by the retirement of veterans Sung Fong and Yung Kam-wah.
A majority of them have little experience at senior level although they have represented the national youth team and have been outstanding in inter-school competitions.
Led by head coach Mak Kam-fai, the squad boast only three experienced players - Poon Chi-ho and Yung Man-tak of Winling and Leung Kwok-shing of Fukien. Leung Chun-hung, Lee Kim-wong, Lo Yi-ting, Cheng Kam-hing, Wong Chun-wai, Law Man-kwong and Szeto Wai-kit complete the line-up.
Some of the rising stars represented Hong Kong in the Crown Prince Cup invitational in Thailand last month, where they finished fourth.
Hong Kong's hopes have been badly hit by the loss of Chan Cheung-man and Kelvin Cheung Kam-hae, as their school, Ying Wa College, has refused to release them.