Led by multi-dimensional bigman Tien Lei, defending champion San-min High School beat Tsai-shin HS in the two-game series in the 2001 HBL Finals and became the first back-to-back champion since 1995. Tien Lei is named Finals MVP. In the third-place game, Nan-shan HS beat Ping-tung HS with the score of 80-61.
Tien Lei, who has been selected to the national team, is expected to enroll in NCAA Division II's Cal State-Los Angeles next year with the help from Luckipar head coach Jack Mai, if everything goes well. Tien says he will focus on the national team, which will start practice on March 18, before the NCAA things.
CSLA's head coach Dave Yanai is the first Japanese-American head coach at any level nationally and has been very active in Asian basketball circles in southern California. Currently, Yanai ranks 28th among Division II's winningest active coaches.
It's hard to believe but, if Tien goes to CSLA, he will be the first Taiwanese player playing in US NCAA. Former Taiwanese players going to US played all in NAIA or junior college level. In 1998 NIKE Japan Camp, current Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Donn Nelson said Tien has the potential to be the "Taiwanese version of Scottie Pippen".
On the other side, Jin-O High School beat Tamsuei Business HS two straight in HBL Girls' Finals, winning the school's fifth title and the first since 1993. Gu-bao beat Hu-jian 56-47 in the third-place game.
■Game Summaries
Game1: San-min 90-80 Tsai-shin
San-min: Lee Chi-shun 32p ; Tien Lei 12p, 11rb ; Yao Jun-jay 10p, 5rb ; Cho Shi-yuan 14p
Tsai-shin: Tsun Wen-din 16p, 16rb, 4blocks ; Wu Dai-hao 21p ; Chen Hao-tse 17p
Game2: San-min 86-77 Tsai-shin
San-min: Tien Lei 25p, 15rb, 5blocks, 3a, 3s ; Wu Yong-jen 13p, 12rb, 6a ; Cho Shi-yuan 12p ; Yao Jun-jay 12p
Tsai-shin: Tsun Wen-din 22p, 14rb ; Wu Dai-hao 9p, 8rb ; Chen Hao-tse 12p
MVP: Tien Lei, San-min
Freshman of the Year: Wu Dai-hao, Tsai-shin
***
HBL Girl's Finals
Girls' Game1: Jin-O 49-37 Tansuei
Girls' Game2: Jin-O 44-38 Tamsuei
MVP: Lin Ji-wen, Jin-O
Freshman of the Year: Pan Yu-chin, Tamsuei