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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Harvard center Zena Edosomwan pulls out his cellphone and scrolls back to the photos from his last trip to China. There, he finds a picture of himself at a Chinese market with a small boy of about 6 years old sitting high on his shoulders.Theres so much love and positive energy there, Edosomwan said last week as he prepared to return to China -- this time with the Crimson basketball team for its game against Stanford on Friday night. A lot of Stanford and Harvard players are going to be surprised. Theyre going to be like rock stars there.Two of the top academic universities in the United States, Harvard and Stanford are visiting Shanghai this week to open their mens basketball seasons -- and do a little brand-building while theyre at it. The schools are already well-known internationally -- Harvard has 1,802 students and scholars from China, according to its website -- but few there think of basketball when they think of the two prestigious institutions.Its an amazing chance, and were proud to be a part of it, proud to represent this great brand, this great school in China, Harvard coach Tommy Amaker said last week as he prepared to visit the country for the first time. Were not just thinking just for us; were representing Harvard. We try to do that wherever we go.For Stanford, its the third in-season international trip in the programs 102-year history (Mexico, 2009; Bahamas, 2012), though the team visited Rome, Florence, Venice and Como during a summer tour of Italy in 2015. This years visit by the Pac-12 follows one last year, when Washington beat Texas, and completes a two-year deal. The Pac-12 announced Friday a new two-year deal to play in China, with UCLA and Georgia Tech to play there next year.Visiting Harvard last week, Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said the trip reminded him of the ping pong diplomacy of President Richard Nixons administration and hoped it would help break down barriers between the nations.College sports diplomacy is a great trend, he said. Its a great game, and I think its a great entr?e for people to interact.For sure, it wont just be basketball on this trip.The Crimson arrived in Hangzhou on Sunday night and -- after sleeping off the 30-hour trip -- had a meet-and-greet at the online commerce company Alibaba. They visited some ancient temples on Tuesday and a museum on Wednesday before playing Jiao Tong University in an exhibition. On Thursday, they were scheduled to appear in the Shanghai Disney parade and make an appearance with students from a school funded by the Yao Ming Foundation. Friday is back to work to prepare for the game, which is scheduled for noon Saturday local time, or 11 p.m. back on campus.The Cardinal had a shorter flight -- a mere 14 hours -- with many of the same activities planned, adding a Huangpu River Cruise and an exhibition against Tsinghua.All the while, players will have to keep up with their school work. Amaker said a half-dozen players have exams they will need to take on the trip -- scheduled to coincide with the time their classmates are taking the tests back home. A handful of China scholars and other Harvard officials made the trip with the team.Studying is part of the travel, Amaker said. Its going to be a lot thats put into it, but were hoping were going to gain a lot from it.Asked if there was anything special he was looking forward to on his first trip to China, Amaker said, Other than beating Stanford?Amaker arrived at Harvard in 2007 to find a basketball program with no past and not much of a future. The Crimson had never won an Ivy League championship in mens basketball before winning five straight, starting in 2011. Twice they have advanced in the NCAA Tournament by beating a higher-seeded first-round opponent.With that success has come a highly regarded recruiting class and new opportunities, like trips to the Battle for Atlantis in the Bahamas and the Great Alaska Shootout and now China.This is another layer that we can add to the growth of our program. The success that weve had in the past allows us to be invited and thought of for moments like this. And were proud of that, Amaker said. How lucky are we to have this opportunity in front of us, and to be able to thank basketball for something like this? This is where sports and athletics can provide opportunities that most people wont have.Edosomwan has been to China twice before, running an educational conference there last summer. He has taken six semesters of Mandarin and six other classes on China at Harvard, making him a bit of an expert among his teammates.I guess in a way I know a little bit more, Edosomwan said.And what did his teammates want to know?Mostly, he said, whats the deal with the internet?---AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley contributed to this story from Stanford, California. Sheyi Ojo Liverpool Jersey . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. Nathaniel Phillips Liverpool Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. http://www.liverpoolgear.us/Authentic-Mohamed-Salah-Liverpool-Jersey/ . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. Xherdan Shaqiri Jersey . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. Nathaniel Clyne Jersey . Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. Indias PV Sindhu beat Carolina Marin 21-17, 21-13 to reach the semi-finals of the Dubai World Superseries finals on Friday. She will next play South Koreas Sung Ji-hyun, against whom she has a superior head-to-head record.In what was the last match of the group stages, Sindhu had to beat Marin to go through. In the end, Sindhu won in straight games and came second in Group B. The group was topped by Chinas Sun Yu.The match started at a fast pace with neither player giving the other many chances. Marin had a 10-8 lead before unforced errors and smart play from Sindhu saw her fall 10-11 behind. Sindhu eventually won the game 21-17.ddddddddddddAt the break Marin was treated for a small cut on her foot. The momentum remained with Sindhu after the second game began. She led 10-6 and then 17-10, leaving Olympic gold medallist Marin staring at her third straight defeat of the tournament. Sindhu took the second game 21-13 to book a place in the last four.This was Sindhus first match against Marin since their epic final at the Rio Olympics. It turned out to be Sindhus third win over the world number two in eight attempts. ' ' '