Cambodian national basketball team to train in China

Sophara Chin

The Cambodian national men's basketball team is going to China for further training ahead of the 2021 and 2023 Southeast Asian Games. Austin Koledoye, general-secretary of the Cambodia Basketball Federation (CBF), said training will involve 12 national players and three coaches. The group is expected to include national team mainstays Joseph Hoeup, Chin Sophara (181-PG-98) and Tommy Cheang (180-PG). The group is part of a contingent of Cambodian athletes that are slated to train in China under an agreement between the Cambodian SEA Games organizing Committee (CAMSOC) and its counterpart from the East Asian country. CAMSOC announced earlier that China has agreed to train 135 Cambodian athletes belonging to 11 disciplines, including gymnastics, basketball and wrestling. Cambodian wrestlers, sailors and gymnasts also trained in China prior to the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines. Another contingent of athletes will train in South Korea, Japan and Vietnam, according to CAMSOC. 'This is essential for the technical improvement and experience exchange among Cambodian and Chinese athletes,' CAMSOC Secretary-General Vath Chamroeun said. 'It is CAMSOC's idea to present a strong team for 2023,' added Koledoye, referring to the 2023 SEA Games that Cambodia is hosting for the first time. The exact training venue in China and date of departure for the Cambodian basketball players have not yet been disclosed. China is seen as good choice for basketball training, with its excellent facilities and affinity for the sport. China is also a global powerhouse in basketball, with several of its players, including Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi , having played in the National Basketball Association. 'They will depart in a month. It should last for four months, depending on the Hanoi Games,' the CBF official said. The 2021 SEA Games was moved to July 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to international media reports. The infusion of foreign-born players has helped improve the fortunes of the Cambodian basketball team in international competitions, including the SEA Games. During the 2019 SEA Games, the Cambodian men's 5X5 team beat Myanmar and lost by narrow margins to Malaysia and Indonesia. The 3X3 team, however, lost all six matches to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam. Cambodia will send both a 5X5 and 3X3 basketball teams to the 2021 SEA Games.
Courtesy of: khmertimeskh.com

Tags : CHIN SOPHARA, JUETAI MEKONGERS, CAMBODIAN BASKETBALL