United States beckons as basketball scholarship opens doors for Hong Kong teen
A 15-year-old from Hong Kong will head to the United States in August for four years of high school after becoming the first from the city to be chosen for a China-wide basketball scholarship.
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Candice Tsiang Hiu-lam was among seven hopefuls from across the country picked this year for the Joe Tsai Basketball Scholarship, and will attend The Village School in Houston, hoping to elevate her skills.
The programme has subsidised 21 previous recipients to study and play at US boarding schools since its inception in 2019, with some going on to play for leading National Collegiate Athletic Association teams.
Tsiang, the first Hongkonger selected, has already found her involvement in basketball life-changing.
Candice Tsiang is the first Hongkonger chosen for the programme. Photo: Jonathan Wong
'I was more shy growing up, but I became more outgoing after joining the basketball team,' Tsiang, a pupil at Heep Yunn School in Kowloon, said. 'You need to communicate with your teammates on the court, and I can be quite vocal now.
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'I want to improve my basketball knowledge, my communication skills and my physique going forward. I could never imagine reaching this step when I started playing, so I am grateful for this opportunity.'
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