Taipei Physical Education College (TPEC), the superpower in Taiwan college basketball, will seek to extend its 147-game winning streak and the 13th straight title in the upcoming 2007-08 UBA (University Basketball Association) season, which will tip off on Nov. 26.
The UBA will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in the first season it implements the so-called "25 years-old rule, " which means only players under 25 years-old are allowed to play in the league. Chinese Taipei University Sports Federation (CTUSF) said the rule is in line with the regulation of the World University Games.
Implementation of the rule is expected to have a huge impact on all the teams, especially the defending champion. As UBA didn't have an age limit prior to this season, teams were able to put almost all players they want on the court -- undergraduate, graduate and transfer students alike.
Which was why Chien Wei-chuan, the most celebrated women basketball player in Taiwan, was able to enjoy a 10-year UBA career. Ten years! For universities who wanted to keep their best players, all they had to do was getting them to the graduate schools. It's easy.
Not anymore. At least the UBA is doing something right because that was just ridiculous.