Taiwan Men's Junior NT leave for Kuwait yesterday with the high hope of finishing in the top three in the 17th ABC Men's Junior Championship. If they are in the top three, Taiwan will be qualified for the World Men's Junior Championship, which will be held next year in Kuala Lumpur, Maylaysia, for the first time in 15 years, since the only appearance in the World Junior Men in 1987.
Taiwan Men's Junior features three players from the Senior Men's NT -- 204cm center Tsun Wen-din, 202cm forward/center Wu Dai-hao and 177cm combo guard Lee Chih-ming. This will be the second time Tsun and Wu participating the Asian Men's Junior Championship.
Taiwan Men's Junior have been climbing up in Asia, finishing 5-th place in both 1995 and 1996, fourth place in 1998 and third place in 2000. In the 1987 World Junior Men's, Taiwan finished 11th among 12 countries.
Meanwhile, CTBA will host the first Asian Basketball Championship in 35 years. The 16th ABC Women's Junior Championship will be held in Taipei, Taiwan in Dec. 21-30. Taiwan Women's Junior will look for the best finish since winning the silver medal in 1998. They were fourth both in 1996 and 2000.