MANILA, Philippines – Jack Animam showed out in her Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) debut for the Wuhan Shengfan, albeit in a 74-61 home loss to Inner Mongolia Nongxin on Tuesday, October 17.

The first Filipino to see action in the WCBA, Animam emerged as the only Wuhan player to score in double figures with 10 points on top of 9 rebounds and 3 steals – also team-highs – in 28 minutes of play.

A third-quarter meltdown, though, doomed Wuhan as Inner Mongolia fought back from a 31-37 halftime deficit en route to the convincing 13-point win.

The Nongxin outscored the Shengfan, 24-8, in the third period to seize a 55-45 lead and never looked back.

Li Yuan put up 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists for Inner Mongolia to lead four players in twin-digit scoring, while Pan Zhenqi also churned out 15 points to go with 6 rebounds.

Zhang Qifang and Sun Mengran added 10 points each in the win.

Yike Ding backstopped Animam with 9 points, while Lin Xiuting and Yiu Jiarui chimed in 8 points apiece.

Animam, 24, took her act to China after various stints in Europe.

The Gilas Pilipinas Women star first played professionally for Radnicki Kragujevac in Serbia then for Toulouse Metropole and USO Mondeville in France.

Before her pro action return, Animam came fresh from an Asian Games stint with the national team, helping the Philippines reach the quarterfinals before they bowed to South Korea. – Rappler.com