Taipei Physical Education College (TPEC) beat Fu Jen University 81-68 in the title game en route to its 12th straight UBA (University Basketball Association) men's title and extended its winning streak to 146 games. Still, no one was surprised.
Because TPEC was supposed to win with half of its roster being national team players, including the likes of Chen Hsin-an, Lee Chi-yi, Chen Shih-nian, Tsun Wen-din, among others. Even its head coach, Lee Yun-kwang, was a former NT head coach.
Which means TPEC is virtually an All-Star Team compared to other schools that only have one or two NT/SBL players on their rosters at best. And the school could cruise through the preliminary and second round before concentrating on the semifinal playoffs.
However, expect a change of scenery next season. As FISU (International University Sports Federation) and World University Games changed the age limit from 28 years-old down to 24 and the UBA followed suit, half of TPEC players will be inelgible to play next year.
National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) beat Chinese Culture University (CCU) 53-44 with a closing 16-0 run in an ugly game and finished for third-place for the second consecutive year.
NTNU also boasts a strong roster with top NT/SBL players Tien Lei, Wang Chih-chun, Chien Jia-hong and Su Yi-chieh but didn't live up to its expectation once again. Tien Lei and Lee Fong-yong did not play in the third-place game due to illness.