HONG KONG (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - Despite not yet getting a win in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers, Duncan Reid still hopes the national team can inspire Hong Kong's next generation.

Hong Kong are in a very tough group in the Asian Qualifiers, and it showed in the first window, when they were on the wrong end of two blowouts against China and New Zealand, respectively.

In spite of the fact they scored an average of just 59.0 points per game in their two losses, though, Reid knows they gave it all they could, considering their circumstances.

Of course, he also knows that with more intense training, the team can do much better in succeeding windows.

"I feel that we played hard, but our preparation could have been much better," he said. "We can do a lot better moving forward."

"THE QUALIFIERS PROVIDE LOCAL FANS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THE NATIONAL TEAM AT HOME, WHICH WAS VERY RARE BEFORE. THEY ALSO GET TO EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENT PLAYING STYLES OF THE OTHER ELITE TEAMS IN ASIA" ReidReid

The 28-year-old center felt the team went through significant adjustments on-the-fly, especially in trying to bring in several new players and on matching up on the defensive end against bigger and more experienced foes.

"I think that our team's game plan can slightly change as half of our roster is new players," he explained. "We need to adjust to our strengths and weaknesses differently. I also feel that our defensive mentality can be much better."

From the Hong Kong side that played at the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 in Beirut, Lebanon, just four were in action in the first window: forwards Fong Shing Yee and Wong Chun Wai, shooter Lee Ki and Reid. Most of the other players were playing at this level for the first time in their careers, and it showed.

For instance, Hong Kong just had no answer for China's size in the paint, with Reid - who plies his trade in the CBA - practically doing battle all by his lonesome. Against New Zealand, the Hong Kongers just could not find their rhythm as the Tall Blacks asserted their dominance early and often.

It was an eye-opener for the country that has made it to Asia's top five teams just once and who have never qualified to any world level event.

However, that's one reason why Reid sees the Qualifiers being played in a home-and-away format as being beneficial, especially for the fans, who get to see top flight basketball played at home. As there is no bona fide professional league in Hong Kong in the same vein as the CBA, KBL or B.League, these official national team games mean local hoop nuts rarely get to see world class basketball played live.

"OUR FANS WERE AMAZING, AND IT WAS AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE TO PLAY AT HOME AGAINST NEW ZEALAND. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF QUALIFIERS" ReidReid

"I think it provides local fans a great opportunity to support the national team at home, which was very rare before," Reid said. "They also to get to experience the different playing styles of the other elite teams in Asia."

For Reid, the fans' exposure to this brand of basketball will hopefully light a spark that will spread like a wildfire throughout Hong Kong. He knows that for the national team to make history in the future, the younger talents must get as much exposure as they can, must help raise more awareness for Hong Kong basketball and must raise it to a new plateau.

"I hope that we can encourage the next generation of basketball players to be inspired to represent the national team and to change a little bit the culture surrounding basketball in Hong Kong," he said.

The prospect of having more Asian Qualifiers games played in Hong Kong excites the 6ft 8in (2.04m) Reid, who is raring to don the Hong Kong colors again for the second window in February 2018.

"I HOPE THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE THE NEXT GENERATION OF BASKETBALL PLAYERS TO BE INSPIRED TO REPRESENT THE NATIONAL TEAM" ReidReid

"Our fans were amazing, and it was an unforgettable experience to play at home against New Zealand," he said. "I can’t wait for the next round of Qualifiers."

FIBA