The value of China’s Nan Chen

MANILA (Enzo Flojo's Asia on my Mind) - When China take on their foes at the 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) in Nantes, France, the contributions of Nan Chen will be key.

The Chinese have gone undefeated in their nine preparation games so far for the 12-team event taking place from 13-19 June, and the veteran center's play has certainly been a big part of their success. For sure, head coach Tom Maher will lean on Nan's leadership, experience and production as the Chinese hope to punch one of five remaining open slots for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

In China's most recent victory, they dismantled European side Montenegro, 75-50, in a four-nation tournament. Not surprisingly, Nan Chen figured prominently in that triumph, scoring 13 points to form a vaunted twin-tower combination with Sun Mengran, who tallied 14 points. The 15 points of Kristina Rakovic was not enough to push Montenegro, who are 34th in the FIBA World Ranking Women, past the mighty Chinese, who are eighth in the world.

China will travel to France next month for the final leg of their preparations for the WOQT, and Maher's wards will ramp up their training to make sure they don't repeat the heartbreak of losing to Japan as they did in the Final of last year's FIBA Asia Women's Championship. It was a rather unfortunate result for the Chinese, who were looking to upend the defending champion Japanese in front of a lively home crowd in Wuhan. China gave a heck of a fight in that game, but they ultimately fell short as the brilliance of Asami Yoshida and Ramu Tokashiki proved to be too much to handle.

Nan Chen wasn't around in that tournament. Without a doubt, the Chinese would have been in a much better position to beat Japan had the 1.95m (6ft 5in) center featured for them. You see, the 33-year-old already retired from international basketball prior to the 2015 FIBA Asia Women's joust, choosing to concentrate on coaching and motherhood.

Nan last played for the national team in the 2013 FIBA Asia Women’s Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, where China relinquished their crown to Japan. For sure, she would love to try and get back at their Asian rivals this year, and the only way to do that is to step foot on the world stage in Rio.

Nan's choice to return to the national side is welcome news for a team stacked with talent but wanting in experience. The trio of Shao Ting, Gao Song and Sun Mengran are expected to lead China's charge to the Olympics, but nobody among Maher's current crop of players can really rival Nan's level of international exposure. She has already played in the Olympics three times: Athens (2004), Beijing (2008) and London (2012). It would certainly be wise for Maher to bank on her mentoring his other talented players when it comes to finding success at this very high level of basketball.

In spite of her vast experience, though, Nan's retirement was viewed by many as premature, and her resumption of a leadership role with this new generation means her international career has, indeed, come full circle.

Of course, it also goes without saying that Nan's skill-set adds more depth and diversity to an already loaded Chinese unit. She is most well-known for her scoring - she can hurt opponents by slashing to the basket or hitting from midrange - but her prowess in rebounding and defense will also serve China well when they square off against Venezuela and powerhouse Spain in their preliminary group in Nantes.

It shouldn't come as a surprise then that many Chinese hoop nuts are excited at the fact she is back, and they are expecting much success as a result.

Enzo Flojo

FIBA

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