Wednesday, December 29, 1999

Millennium Series will tipoff on January 1, 2000

Latest Import Situation--
Hong-kuo:Rex Manu
Mars:Brian Reese
Yulon:Emmett Hall
Hong-fu: Signed 6-2 Mike Elliot, who previously played with Yulon in 97-98. Johnny Rhodes didn't report to the team.
Luckipar:Mario Lucas(Could be replaced)
Dacin:Von Bennett

Tuesday, December 21, 1999

Imports Set in Millennium Series

Import players of all CBA teams in the upcoming "Millennium Series" is all set. As expected, Hong-kuo brought back its former player Rex Manu but failed to re-sign Joe Temple. Mars signed 6-5 highflying Brian Reese, who played with Yulon in 97-98. Yulon failed to sign former Dacin Tiger Mark Atkins, who's playing in IBA right now. Instead, they brought back yet another former Dino, 6-5 Emmett Hall(South Carolina). 6-3 Johnny Rhodes is also back with his former team, Hong-fu Rams, while 6-8 Von Bennett reunited with Dacin Tigers once again. Luckipar Panthers signed 6-8 Mario Lucas(Maryland), who last played in China.

CBA teams submitted their rosters to the league office last Saturday. What's strange is they sign many players from universities and loan players from A-League. Plus, the tournament plays international rules. All in all, this really does not look like a PRO GAME. In the meantime, almost 90% of the college players also play with A-League teams. That, once again, tells you why local observers are not optmistic about the league's re-structure and how chaotic Taiwanese basketball scene is.

Complete Team Rosters in MILLENNIUM SERIES
(Name, Height, Notes)

HONG-KUO ELEPHANTS
Chou Jun-San 175
Chang Chi-How 188
Liu Yi-Shan 200
Chiu Ter-Chih 190
Lo Shin-Liang 182
Huang Chun-Shiung 200
Chang Ya-Tang 190
Soong Jay 190
Chou Jun-Shiung 175
Rex Manu 203 Import
O-Yang Jin-Hung 190 College player
Yang Shih-How 190 College player
Lee Bo-Lun 190 College player
Lee Fung-Yun 198 Loan from A-League
Lo Cheng-Kun 197 Loan from A-League
Headcoach:Chiu Da-Zong

KAOSHIUNG MARS
Matt Bryant 190 Will play as local player
Yen Hsin-Shu 182
Chou Hai-Jung 190
Wang Li-Bin 200
Lin Jeng-Da 193
Cheng Tser-Ming 200
San Mao-Sun 193
Huang Kuan-Lun 193
Lee Chi-Yi 197
Brian Reese 195 Import
Soong Tao 209 Signed from Yulon
Lin Kao-Shiung 182 Signed from Dacin
Headcoach:Chun Chi-Mun

YULON DINOS
Kuo Tien-Lung 185
Chou Hung-Yu 195
Lin Jiang-Ping 170
Tsai Fu-Tsai 188
Chiu Zong-Chih 197
Dong-Fang Che-Ter 190
Lee Yung-Kuang 175
Wu Chih-Wei 200
Emmett Hall 195 Import
Chiu Chih-Yi 180
Chen Hsin-An 194
Wei Yung-Tai 193 Loan from A-League
Huang Cheng-Jin 190 Loan from A-League
Huang Bao-Tse 182 College player
Lin Ming-Sian 184 College player
Chien Wei-Cheng 178 College player
Shi Wei-Guang -- College player
Headcoach:Chien Yi-Fei

LUCKIPAR PANTHERS
Chen Chi-Chun 182
Yang Chi-How 175
Hung Chan-Chin 190
Hsu Yung-Yi 190
Sun Kuo-Chan 196
Lai Kuo-Hung 197
Lin Shin-Hua 198
Mario Lucas 203 Import
Chang Chi-Fung 182 Loan from A-League
Yang Yu-Min 182 Loan from A-League
Wu Cheng-Dao -- College player
Wang Han-Chian -- College player
Chun Shiao-Tse 193 Loan from A-League
Headcoach:Jack Mai

HONG-FU RAMS
Chu Chih-Chin 198
Lee Yung-Shian 190
Wu Shian-Cheng 188
Shiung Jen-Chun 190
Ma Chao-Min 180
Ker Chian-Tse 190
Chen Wen-Zong 188
Johnny Rhodes 193 Import
Shan Wei-Fang 195 College player
Lin Tser-Wei 197 College player
Liao Wei-Chen 195 Loan from A-League
Lan Chih-Min 185 Signed from Luckipar
Headcoach:Hu Tsai-Lin

DACIN TIGERS
Hung Yi-Chun 185
Yang Yi-Fung 188
Chen Jian-Hun 190
Chen Shun-Lung 188
Von Bennett 203 Import
Huang Chi-Tsai -- College player
Huang Fong-Min 190 College player
Lo Da-Wei -- College player
Ju Yung-Hong -- College player
Chou Ben-Tang -- College player
Wang Yi-Jen 195 College player
Lin Jia-Shen 190 Loan from A-League
Chen Jun-Jay 182 Signed from Yulon
Lin Yu-Shu 193 Signed from Hong-fu
Headcoach:Cheng Kong-Hee

Thursday, December 16, 1999

CBA WILL USE COLLEGE PLAYERS IN MILLENNIUM SERIES

CBA teams will bring in college players in the upcoming Millennium Series because most of the teams are short of players, the league announced yesterday. Also the league limit the import player height to 6-8, while only one is allowed to play in each game.

All teams must submit their roster, imports included, before Saturday. The series will play under FIBA rules, which means four 12-minute quarters, three refs, and any type of defense is allowed.

On import news, defending champion Hong-kuo will resign its former import 6-3 Joe Temple(San Diego) and 6-8 Rex Manu(Pepperdine) and Mars is said close to sign former Yulon import 6-5 Brian Reese(UNC).Yulon tried to bring in former Dacin player Mark Atkins(6-4, Missouri), who's playing in IBA's Magic City Snowbears right now. Hong-fu will probably sign 6-4 Johnny Rhodes(Maryland), who's voted 1997-98 CBA Import of the Year. Luckipar is contacting 6-6 Erik Martin(Cincinnati), who also played for Luckipar prior to the league's suspension. 6-8 Von Bennett(Oklahoma State) will reunited with his Dacin teammate.

Virtually every team tried to bring back its original import. From the standpoint of both fan familiarity and team chemistry, bringing back old import is good for the team, they assumed. However, all teams' import situation are not set except for Hong-kuo. Teams will probably keep more than just one player and bring in more imports.

Wednesday, December 15, 1999

CBA LAUNCH MILLENNIUM SERIES IN JANUARY

In the middle of its re-structure period, the CBA manages to schedule an short experimental season to test the market and keep local basketball rolling. Yesterday (December 14) the league officially named the short season "The Millennium Series" and released its 38-game schedule. The opening game will tipoff on January 1, 2000, with three-time champion Hongkuo Elephants visiting Yulon Dinos.

The series applies a double-round robin format with each team playing all other opponents twice, which means each team will play 10 games in the preliminary round. The top four teams advance to the crossover best-of-three semifinals. The winners will meet in the best-of-five Finals. All games will be played in Taipei Physical Education College Gymnasium(main venue) in Taipei and Taipei County Gymnasium in Panchiao.

Only one import player is allowed to play in any single game. However, teams can keep as many as they want. As far as I know, Hongkuo has brought back Joe Temple and Rex Manu, while Matt Bryant is back to practice with Mars, his former team. Bryant will play as a local player because he's half Taiwanese. Jack Mai, the general manager of Luckipar Panthers, will replace Lee Chin Chee, who was fired months ago, and work as a GM-interim headcoach.

The Millennium Series is the first games hosted by the CBA since Elite Four Tournament back in July. Although the league held re-structure meetings from time to time. There's no any significant positive improvement. Whether or not the league will re-open its season in March is still a big question mark.

SERIES SCHEDULE
No Date Time Matchup(Road Team-Home Team)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
01 0101 1630 Hongkuo-Yulon
02 0102 1630 Luckipar-Mars
03 0104 1830 Yulon-Luckipar
04 0105 1830 Hongkuo-Hongfu
05 0106 1830 Mars-Dacin
06 0114 1830 Hongfu-Mars
07 0115 1630 Luckipar-Hongkuo
08 0116 1630 Yulon-Dacin
09 0121 1830 Mars-Yulon
10 0122 1630 Dacin-Hongkuo
11 0128 1830 Luckipar-Dacin
12 0129 1630 Hongkuo-Mars
13 0211 1830 Hongfu-Yulon
14 0212 1630 Hongkuo-Luckipar
15 0213 1630 Dacin-Mars
16 0216 1830 Hongfu-Dacin
17 0217 1830 Mars-Luckipar
18 0218 1830 Yulon-Hongkuo
19 0225 1830 Mars-Hongfu
20 0226 1630 Hongkuo-Dacin
21 0227 1630 Luckipar-Yulon
22 0228 1630 Dacin-Hongfu
23 0301 1830 Yulon-Mars
24 0302 1830 Hongfu-Hongkuo
25 0303 1830 Dacin-Luckipar
26 0310 1830 Dacin-Yulon
27 0311 1630 Luckipar-Hongfu
28 0312 1630 Mars-Hongkuo
29 0316 1830 Semifinal
30 0317 1830 Semifinal
31 0320 1830 Semifinal
32 0321 1830 Semifinal
33 0322 1830 Semifinal
34 0325 1630 Final
35 0326 1630 Final
36 0328 1830 Final
37 0329 1830 Final
38 0331 1830 Final