Dongguan, China » Soon after arriving in Dongguan, the Rainbows made time Sunday night to check out teammate Vander Joaquim, who is playing with the Angolan national team in the Boris Stankovic Cup tournament in the nearby city of Guangzhou.

Joaquim, the starting center for the Rainbows last season, came off the bench to score nine points in a lopsided loss to Russia. He was among Angola’s stat leaders.

He had his own cheering section and was greeted by his UH teammates and coaches after the game.

"We’re very proud of him," coach Gib Arnold said. "The first time he touched the ball, he dunked over some guy and pointed over to us."

Arnold debunked the notion that Joaquim would have to choose between his national team for next year’s Summer Olympics and his junior year at UH in the fall.

"(Angola) would not practice year-round. Most of them are professionals. They have jobs they go to, whether playing overseas or wherever," Arnold said. "He goes from this tournament, then he plays in the African Cup. After that he’ll be there in that first week of school."

Later today, the Rainbow Warriors will take on Team Australia in their first competition of the trip. Australia is here for the World University Games and will likewise use the game as a tune-up. The contest will be much more informal than UH’s games against Chinese Basketball Association pro teams later in the trip.

Senior guard Zane Johnson has been walking without crutches after spraining his ankle in Honolulu before the trip, but said he was doubtful to play in games, at least early in the trip.