Tuesday, February 20, 2001

HBL Finals : San-min vs. Tsai-shin

HBL boy's basketball is going to the final stage of the season as the third round action concluded on February 18. Led by talented big man Tien Lei, defending champion San-min HS again advance to the finals, where they will face Tsai-shin HS's "Twin Tower" - Tsun Wen-din and Wu Dai-hao.

San-min routed powerful Ping-tung HS on the final day to secure their place in the finals, while Tsai-shin received its only loss in the third round when they were upset by Song-shan HS. San-min will play Tsai-shin in a two-game series Finals on March 10 and 11. Ping-tung will face Nan-shan HS in the third-place game.

With the Finals still two weeks away, the series has already been dubbed as "Battle of the Big Men". San-min and Tsai-shin feature three most talented and sought-after big man in Taiwan. It is expected to be the most exciting high school basketball finals ever.

San-min's 201cm lanky center/forward Tien Lei averaged 14.9p, 11.7rb, 2.9a, 1.4s, 4.1blk and was shooting 52.0% from the field in seven games of the third round. Tien Lei is the most versatile big man on the island and the focal point of the high-power offense of San-min, the most balanced-scoring team this season. He will seize the last chance to bring home the second consecutive championship, since he will graduate from high school this year.

Tsai-shin's twin tower Tsun Wen-din and Wu Dai-hao are Taiwan's version of "Tim Duncan and David Robinson". Tsun, a 203cm-and-growing sophomore, averaged 17.5p, 8.4rb, 2.9a, 1.5s, 4.1blk and 51.3% FG in the third round. Wu, only a freshman but has a 200cm/98kg body, averaged 12.1p, 10.8rb, 2.0a, 1.3s, 1.8blk and 46.2% FG.

Tsun is the most improved big man during the past year and dramatically upgraded his game in almost every area. He usually handle from high-post, where he can easily drop-pass to the low post to Wu, who's already strong enough and hard to stop under the basket.

Other notable players on both team:
PG Wu Yong-jen(177cm, San-min, Senior)
14.1p, 5.0rb, 6.7a, 2.6s, 49.3% FG
SF Chou Shi-yuan(190cm, San-min, Sophomore)
17.8p, 6.7rb, 2.6a, 3.0s, 45.4% FG
SG Chang Yi-wen(183cm, Tsai-shin, Sophomore)
10.7p, 8.4rb, 2.9a, 2.7s, 45.8% FG

Note :
1. Taiwan high school is a three-year system - Freshman, Sophomore, Senior.
2. HBL Boy's basketball plays a 4-quarter 48-minute game, with 12 minutes in every quarter.


■HBL Third Round Final Standings
Team W-L
Tsai-shin 6-1
San-min 6-1
Ping-tung 4-3
Nan-shan 4-3
Kao-yuan 3-4
Song-shan 3-4
Yi-lan 2-5
Chian-shu 0-7

■5th - 8th Place
5. Kao-yuan HS
6. Song-shan HS
7. Yi-lan HS
8. Chian-shu HS


HBL Girls' Tournament 5th - 8th Place
5. Taipei First HS ; 6. Jen-wu HS ; 7. Chih-ping HS ; 8. Miao-li Business HS