What does it cost to play professional basketball in China? Just ask the players of the Xinjiang Flying Tigers…just don’t call their cell phones or try to find them after 10pm at night…

The CBA Finals just got interesting! During Game 2 between Xinjiang and Guangdong a hockey-like fight broke out between American Charles Gaines and Chinese player Du Feng. [video]

Guangdong’s Southern Tigers beat out Xinjiang’s Flying Tigers last Sunday in a best-of-seven basketball championship that ended in five games.  This battle of the tigers marks the 14th season for the CBA (China Basketball Association) and the 5th trophy to go to Guangdong. 

Merry Christmas to everybody!  Just wanted to say that even though this was our third Xinjiang Christmas away from family, we were still able to manage to have a good time celebrating with friends.  It’s been a busy week trying to prepare for all of the parties and school functions that take place during Christmas so we are looking forward to the upcoming New Year holiday next week wherein we will be getting half of Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday off from work.
I played my final game of the winter …

It’s a game that every person who works in business will have to play in some form or another, but it’s a game that is especially popular to play here in China. It’s impossible to avoid for any person who steps foot here and trust me, I’ve tried. It’s the game of politics, and to my utter disappointment I have now discovered that the rules to this game also apply to the basketball court.

I went to my first basketball practice before this big tournament begins and had quite the eye-opening experience -  I found out that there really are good basketball players here in China!  I mean, I never had the false impression that I was some basketball wizard, but up until this point the competition I have played against here has not been fierce.

I have been determined to crack this “mystery of the invisible basketball system” since arriving here in China and this year I am finally getting a tiny insider’s glimpse.

My wife came home a few weeks ago telling me that she had something special for me that she thought I’d really enjoy. To my amazement she pulled out of her purse two tickets to one of the biggest social events that this year has provided for our small town of Karamay – a basketball game.

I learned a lesson in Chinese etiquette last night that I think might be worth sharing. I learned it in an unusual place, though – the basketball court. I love to play basketball, and fortunately for me it is a sport that is catching on like wildfire over here in China.