Yao, Shanghai Sharks due for match vs Phl 5

MANILA, Philippines - An exhibition game between Yao Ming’s Shanghai Sharks and the Philippine team is being arranged in Manila in June as part of the sports cooperation pact between the country and China.

Shanghai Basketball Club’s vice general manager Qian Anke and team leader Wang Qun are set to visit Manila March 25-28 to discuss the planned friendly basketball game with Philippine Sports Commission officials.

The target, according to a source, is for the Sharks’ senior team to come over to play either the national basketball team, if it’s already formed by then, or a selection from the Philippine Basketball Association.

Retired NBA star Yao, added the source, is expected to be with the Sharks, though not necessarily to play some minutes.

Yao hung up his jerseys last year after nine injury-plagued seasons with Houston. He is now the owner and president of the Sharks, the Chinese Basketball Association club he played for prior to his stint in the NBA.

According to Asia-Basket.Net, the Sharks are bannered by two members of China’s gold-winning team in the 2011 Fiba Asia Championships, center Zhaoxu Zhang and point guard Wei Liu, and American import Marcus Landry.

Filipino officials will also look to arrange a possible basketball clinic to be conducted by the Sharks during their Manila sortie.