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PCC got a taste of professional, international basketball on May 5 when the school hosted the Los Angeles Sparks and the Chinese national team faced off in an exhibition game in the Hutto-Patterson gym. The Sparks won handily, 98-71, in a game where the Pasadena community witnessed an Olympic appetizer.

            “We’re trying to get ready for the Olympics,” said Bo Overton, assistant coach for the Chinese national team. “This is our training camp.”

            While members of the Chinese media crowded into the gym, the real story lay in the debut of the Sparks’ newest additions, the number one overall pick Nneka Ogwumike, and new head coach, Carol Ross.

            “I’m excited because we have a lot of talent on this team and a lot of cohesion already,” said Ogwumike who excelled in her debut with game highs in points (20), rebounds (11), and blocks (1). Ogwumike was selected first overall in the WNBA draft after a stellar career at Stanford where she lead her team to the NCAA Final Four.

            The Chinese team did have an intimidation factor though, bringing a bevy of players that dwarfed the active Sparks team. China’s starting center, Wei Wei, stood at a daunting 6’8″ towering over any Sparks player by at least four inches.

            China got off to a 4-0 start with Wei snatching rebounds and essentially laying in baskets with her elongated reach, but the Sparks quickly figured out her game and effectively shut her down the rest of the match, putting up eight unanswered hoops and never looking back.

            “The big girl [Wei] was very good early,” Sparks Head Coach Carol Ross said. “We had a hard time with her, but we managed to adjust.”

            Despite China’s overwhelming height advantage, the Sparks made them settle for an unhealthy amount of jumpshots. China’s Wei, and the other towering centers, Zhang Liting and Chen Xiaoli, looked downright clumsy in the post. They were unable to establish position against the vertically-challenged defense of the Sparks and looked lost, deferring to pass to a well-guarded jump shooter.

            The Sparks outrebounded China 35-23, played with more cohesiveness by out-assisting them 29-19, and as a result were more efficient shooting 55 percent, to China’s 45.

            LA managed to rout the visiting Chinese team without the help of their best player, Candace Parker, a former WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year. Parker, who missed most of last season due to injury was not active, but lent her support to the team from the sideline.

            Parker was impressed with the team’s newest acquisition in Ogwumike: “She did fantastic, she shocked me with her athleticism and she’ll definitely make us a better team,” Parker said.

A veritable who’s who were in attendance including former Lakers point guard A.C. Green, New Jersey Nets center Shelden Williams (husband to Candace Parker), former Sparks center and hall-of-famer Lisa Leslie, and Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard.

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