Tuesday, August 27, 2002

Taiwan NT 100-72 Philippines Young Men NT

TAGUIG, Metro Manila – The visiting Chinese-Taipei Men’s NT scored their first win in their goodwill tour of the Philippines yesterday evening (August 27). The Taiwanese blasted the Philippine Young Men’s NT, 100-72, at the C. P. Tinga Memorial Hall, once the home court of the MBA’s Socsargen Taguig Marlins.

The game was close for the first three periods as no side had clear control of the game. However fatigue and foul trouble got the better of the Filipinos, causing the Taiwanese to breakaway in the final quarter. The Taiwanese hardly missed the services of ace player Tien Lei, who caught the flu and sat out the contest. The Filipinos were outscored in the final period, 30-16.

Head coach Johny M. Tam explained that three of his key players had to shuttle from downtown Manila immediately after they finished their game in the local collegiate league. He was referring to Ranidel de Ocampo, Ervin Sotto and Al Vergara who saw action for Saint Francis of Assisi against the National College of Business and Arts. A fourth player, Allan Buen, played in the game before the Philippines-Taiwan tussle as he joined his schoolmates at the Philippine College of Criminology (PCCr) against the Taguig Selection.

Center Wu Dai Hao led the Taiwanese with 29 points, 15 coming in the final period. Other players in double figures were Chou Sih Yun with 17, Wu Chi Wei with 15 and Chen Chih Chun with 10 markers. Cebuana Lhuillier Gem Jean Marc Pingris led the Filipinos with 19 points. De Ocampo bucked exhaustion and knocked in 15 points, the same output as guest player Ryan Bernardo, who last played for the Professional Davao Eagles in MBA 2001.

Next on Chinese-Taipei’s agenda is a date with Spring Cooking Oil, reinforced by MBA stalwarts Romel Adducul and Jeffrey Flowers plus American import Bobby Parks. The game will be held on Tuesday (August 27) also at the Tinga Hall at 5:30PM. Admission is free.