Tsai Wen-cheng(left) and Chen Ching-hwan (Photos: Yahoo Taiwan Sports)
Taiwan Beer forward Lin Chih-chieh and Dacin guard Chang Chih-feng, SBL Finals MVPs in consecutive years, have pulled out of Taiwan NT for the East Asian qualifier due to severe sprained ankles during the Finals.
Taiwan NT head coach Chung Kwang-suk has named KKL forward Chen Ching-hwan and Pure Youth forward Tsai Wen-cheng as replacements. Chen and Tsai will be making their NT debut.
The qualifying tournament will tip off in Nagoya, Japan on June 10. Taiwan, along with Mongolia, South Korea, China, Japan and Hong Kong, will fight for two seeds for the Asian Championship.
Taiwan is scheduled to meet host Japan on June 10 and Mongolia on June 12 in the preliminaries.