Tuesday, June 29, 2010

FIBA Asia U18 Women - Taiwan lost to China in semifinal

Taiwan lost to China again in a rematch in the semifinal of the 2010 FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women and will have to meet South Korea for the bronze medal. China will meet Japan again and try to get a  revenge for the bitter loss two years ago, when Japan beat China to win its first Asian junior women gold for the first time in history.

FIBA reports are listed as follow:

CHN/TPE - China take charge after initial sparring, romp into final
 
SURAT THANI, Thailand (20th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): Last edition’s silver medalists China outscored their rivals 11-3 in the second part of the first quarter, took charge of the game and went on to defeat Chinese Taipei 85-56 in the second semifinal on Tuesday.

China, thus, set up a repeat clash for the gold medal with defending champions Japan.

China also became the second team – after Japan – to book their ticket to Chile as a FIBA Asia representative at the 9th FIBA World U19 Championship for Women to be held in the South American country. The top three teams from this Championship will represent FIBA Asia in the U19 World Championship.

Taipei will take on Korea in the bronze medal game on Wednesday preceding the final, and the winners will take the third berth from FIBA Asia.

China sparred Taipei on equal terms in the initial phases of the game. But when Taipei threatened to open up a lead and went ahead 15-10, China hit back in kind and with customary panache.

Liang Jiamei fired in two three-pointers and Sun Mengran came up with a three-point play even as Yu Dong converted twice from the foul-line. And China had turned a deficit on its head and went into the first break with heads high.

The lead on the scoreboard and control in proceedings was one way – in China’s favor – after that.

Gao Song returned a game-high in scoring and rebounds – 22 point and 12 rebounds.

Li Meng had a 12-point game as all but one Chinese player scored.

Huang Hsiang-Ting was the highest scorer for Chinese Taipei with 10 points.


JPN/KOR - Confident and composed, Japan cruise through to final
 
SURAT THANI, Thailand (20th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): Defending champions Japan tightened the defense just at the crucial juncture of their semifinal game against fellow East Asian rivals Korea and romped home to a 67-60 victory on Tuesday.

The win also meant that Japan become the first FIBA Asia team to book their ticket to the 9th FIBA World U19 Championship for Women to be held in Chile from July 20-30, 2011. The top three teams from this Championship will represent FIBA Asia in the U19 World Championship.

“It’s nice to continue the momentum,” said Tatsushi Isshiki, for whom it was the 13th successive win with the Japan U18 women’s team.

Isshiki was also the coach of the team from the Land of Rising Sun, when they went on a 7-0 spree en route to the maiden gold medal at Medan two years ago.

“We had to wait and watch their game,” Isshiki said of Japan’s stutter in the initial phases of the game.

Moeka Nagaoka’s back-to-back successes – the first off her own steal and the other converting an offensive rebound – put Japan level for the first time in the game as the defending champions closed the first quarter at 19-19.

Aoi Katsura capped her drive in the lane following a steal to open the scoring for the second quarter – their first lead in the game – and Japan managed to remain ahead for the remainder of the game.

Katsura scored five more in the second quarter, and eventually finished with 14 points.

Naoko Chikahira had a game-high 18 points to lead Japan’s scoring.

Not that Korea were blown off.

The former champions did attempt a fightback in the fourth quarter bringing the deficit to as less as two points, but Japan always had control of the scoreboard.

“Our defense was fantastic in the second quarter,” Isshiki said.

“Initially, the girls struggled to sort out their screens, and their outside shooters were doing a good job,” he said.

“But I think we need to face and fight these challenges if the girls have to improve their game. There’s no point in having a roller coaster ride throughout,” he reasoned.

Korea’s perimeter shooting, normally their mammoth strength, struggled and as a result their scoring too.

Jihyun Lee was Korea’s highest scorer with 14 points.

Monday, June 28, 2010

FIBA Asia U18 Women - Taiwan to meet China in semi


Taiwan’s under-18 women’s national basketball team finished third in the preliminary round of the 2010 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia U-18 Championship for Women in Thailand and is scheduled to meet China later Monday in the semifinals.

Opening the tournament with a three-game winning streak, Taiwan lost to China, 106-55, and Japan, 67-62, in the last two games and finished with three wins and two losses in the six-team single round-robin preliminary round, behind defending champion Japan (5-0) and China (4-1). South Korea squeezed into the final four with two wins and three losses.

Taiwan is scheduled to meet China 8 p.m. Monday Taiwan time after Japan takes on South Korea in the other semifinal game.

The biennial tournament, which is held in Surat Thani, Thailand, from June 23-30, serves as as a qualifying event for the FIBA World U19 Championship for Women to be held in Chile next year. The top three teams in the tournament will represent Asia in Chile.

Twelve participating teams of the tourney are divided into two six-team levels -- the elite Level I and the qualifying Level II. Teams play all other teams in their group, with the top four in Level I qualifying for the semifinals, while the top two Level II teams will play the bottom two Level I teams for a chance to enter Level I competition in the future.

The competition had been dominated by China and South Korea, winners of 11 and seven U18 Asian titles, respectively, before Japan upset China to capture the gold medal for the first time in 2008. Taiwan has won silver and bronze three times each.

Malaysia (1-4) and Kazakhstan (0-5) failed to advance to the semifinal round in the Level I. Host Thailand (5-0) and India (4-1) emerged as the top two teams in the Level II.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

FIBA Asia U18 Women - Taiwan finishes 3-2 in preliminaries

SURAT THANI, Thailand (20th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): Defending champions Japan played a superb fourth quarter and defeated Chinese Taipei 67-62 in the final Level I Preliminary Round game on Sunday.

Japan, thus, topped the Level I standings winning all their five games, and will take on Korea in the semifinals. Chinese Taipei will play China.

The semifinals will be played on Tuesday, after Monday’s rest day.

Japan trailed Taipei for the better part of the game before making their move in the early part of the fourth quarter.

The girls from the Land of Rising Sun tightened their defense – outscoring their rivals 12-1 in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter – eke out their fifth win in a row.

““Well, it was one of those days when the plans were not executed well,” said Japan coach Tatsushi Isshiki.

“I’m happy this happened now rather than in the semifinals,” he added.

“This is a wakeup call for the girls. We have our task cut out now,” he said.

“I am really happy the way the defense came about in the fourth quarter. The girls have realized the importance of defense now,” Isshiki said.

Only Rina Sezaki was not fielded by Isshiki, and all the other players scored.

Rina Hill’s 14 was the highest for Japan.

Chinese Taipei Assistant coach Wang Weih-Chieh said: “The girls took the opportunities well.”

“This performance will help us keep up the confidence,” he added.

Chang Chi-fang’s game-high 18 points on Taipei behalf went in a losing cause.

FIBA Asia

FIBA Asia U18 Women - China routed Taiwan 106-55

SURAT THANI, Thailand (20th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): Having won all their three previous games, Chinese Taipei suffered their first defeat against the might of last edition’s silver medalists China in Level I on Friday.

The 106-55 result which China achieved left both the teams locked 3-1 in win-loss.

China, on Sunday play, Malaysia. Taipei have the tougher task of playing defending champions Japan.

“This definitely was one of the better games so far for us,” China coach Wang Guizhi said.

Gao Song was on a song as usual, with a 16-point return, but more importantly Li Meng found form.

Li, the star of China’s gold medal triumph at the 1st FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women at Pune last year

Wang gave all her players a feel of the court – each of them for more than 10 minutes. And all of them scored.

“Great team work,” beamed Wang.

“The score line is definitely deceptive. We had to earn each of our point. And the important point is we earned them well,” she said.

Taipei coach Chen Mei-Li said: “It was a quality opposition after all.”

“Our shooters struggled throughout. And by the time we could sort it out, our defense got weakened,” she said.

Chang Chi-fang was Taipei’s highest scorer with 15 points.

Friday, June 25, 2010

FIBA Asia U18 Women - Taipei survive late Korean rally

SURAT THANI, Thailand (20th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): Korea outshot Chinese Taipei 12-3 in first five minutes of the fourth quarter, but the deficit they had conceded in the earlier three periods bit them hard as the team went down 82-84 in a pivotal Level I game on Friday.

Taipei have now won all their three outings in the elite Level I.

Taipei led the game for the entire first three quarters and went into the last ten minutes with what looked like a comfortable 70-54 lead.

But Korea, Cha Hongjin and Seungah Lee, had different ideas.

Hongjin Cha converted all her three three-pointer attempts in the fourth quarter and Seunhah Lee scored nine points to put Korea on track.

The second of such Hongjin Cha’s three-pointer successes gave Korea the lead, albeit marginal and momentary,  for the first time in the game. That was with 2:45 left in the clock.

But the late surge seemed to have sapped the Koreans of energy and ideas for the last minute scramble, and Taipei escaped away to their third win.

Chang Chi-Fang was the leader of the Taipei charge with 23 points, but only six in the fourth quarter.

Jeonghyun Lee’s game-high 27 points for Korea went in a losing cause.

“We did leave it for a little too late,” lamented Korea coach Choi Choul Kwon.

“We did remarkably well to stage the fight back. And those last minute misses always happen,” he added.

“I’m proud of the way the girls kept their composure,” said Taipei coach Chen Mei-Li.

FIBA Asia

Thursday, June 24, 2010

FIBA Asia U18 Women - Second win for Taipei

SURAT THANI, Thailand (20th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): Chinese Taipei posted their second win in as many games in as many days with a characteristically clinical 71-45 win against Malaysia in a Level I game on Thursday.

Chinese Taipei had beaten Kazakhstan on the opening night, while Malaysia suffered their second successive defeat having lost to another East Asian team Korea on Wednesday.

“We have to use this experience to perform better in the bigger games,” said Taipei coach Chen Mei-Li.

“Some people say we got to start with two easier games in the beginning of the competition. But that means the road ahead is only tougher,” she added.

“I can only hope that the girls don’t lose the rhythm when the time comes to raise their game,” she said.

For the second day running, Malaysian coach Choo Seck Yun was lost for words.

“But I have to concede that both these teams were far better opponents,” she added.

Liu Jung-hsing led the scoring for Taipei, and the game, with 16 points.

Saw Wei Yin was the highest scorer for Malaysia.

FIBA Asia

FIBA Asia U18 Women - Taipei rally to down Kazakhstan

FNA2010622103924 SURAT THANI, Thailand (20th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): Chinese Taipei allowed Kazakhstan to do all the running in the initial parts of their Level I game before picking up their stride for an81-68 win to bring the curtains down for the opening day, on Wednesday.

Lin Yu-Ting scored a mammoth 29 points to lead the Chinese Taipei charge, 12 of them in the first half.

Wei Yu-Chun contributed 15 points, and 11 of them before the first half.

“The girls took time to settle down in the new conditions,” said Taipei coach Chen Mei-Li.

“But I’m happy we ended winning,” she said.

“We turned the ball over once too often,” lamented Kazakhstan coach Andrii Miekhovykh.

Kazakhstan turned the ball over 31 times against Taipei’s 21. And more importantly, Taipei converted 23 of the turnovers while Kazakshtan managed only four.

Sunday, June 06, 2010

2010 Jones Cup dates set

(CNA) The R. William Jones Cup International Invitational Tournament, Taiwan's top international hoop event, will be held from July 13-21, a Taiwan basketball official said.

Seven men's teams and five women's teams will participate in the annual tournament in Taipei County's Sinjhuang Stadium, said Lee Yi-chung, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA), Taiwan's top basketball governing body.

Host Taiwan will field its national teams and university all-star teams in both the men's and women's competitions, Lee said. Several of Taiwan's national players have injuries, however, and have said they will sit out in order to be in better shape to prepare for the Asian Games, which will be held in Guangzhou, China in November.

Among the men's participating teams are Japan's national team, Lebanon's national team, Iran's national second team, a club team from western Australia and the Philippines' national team.

Lee said he expected the Philippine team to be the top box office draw as usual because there are many overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan and because Filipinos are known for their passion for basketball.

"Moreover, this Philippine team was selected to compete for a berth in the Asian zone for the 2012 London Olympics. I think the team will be highly competitive, " Lee said.

In the women's competition, Japan, Kazakhstan and Lebanon will send their national teams to compete with the two home teams.

The Jones Cup started in 1977 as an invitational tourney with national teams, club teams and university teams mainly from the Asian region. It was named after Renato William Jones, one of the founders and former secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Taiwan announces 24-man preliminary roster for 2010 Asian Games

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Chinese Taipei Basketball Association announced its 24-man preliminary roster for the 2010 Asian Games men's basketball on Tuesday without naming the team's head coach.

However, Zhang Xulei, head coach of the freshly-crowned Yulon Luxgen, is expected to be named the head of Taiwan NT for the first time as new CTBA President Mao Kao-wen is against hiring foreign coaches and insists on leaving the opportunity to the local coaches.

Zhang is a former Chinese NT star forward who played in Taiwan's pro league CBA late in his career and now possesses a Singaporean passport.

According to the CTBA, the team will open its training camp later this month to prepare for the 2010 William Jones Cup tournament, but several injured players, including Tseng Wen-ting, Wu Tai-hao, Tien Lei and Chang Chih-feng, will sit out the invitational.

Former Yulon star Chen Hsin-an, a Taiwan NT regular who played this year in the Chinese league CBA, was omitted by the NT Committee. Chen is no longer contracted with his long-time employer Yulon.

Details of the 2010 Jones Cup tourney remains unclear. Liberty Times reported that the tournament will start on July 13.

Po., Name, Ht., Age
G Lee Hsueh-lin, Yulon, 175cm, 26
G Su Yi-chieh, Dacin, 181cm, 22
G Yang Ching-min, TB, 188cm, 25
G Chang Chih-feng, Dacin, 183cm, 28
G Chen Shih-nian, TB, 180cm, 26
G Lo Yu-chun, Dacin, 185cm, 22
G Chen Shih-chieh, Pure Youth, 170cm, 25
G Hong Chih-shan, Pure Youth, 176cm, 24
G Chen Ching-hwan, KKL, 190cm, 24
G Chen Shun-hsiang, BOT, 190cm, 25
F Lin Yi-hui, Dacin, 193cm, 24
F Wu Fong-cheng, Yulon, 195cm, 23
F Chien Chia-hong, Pure Youth, 196cm, 22
F James Mao, Pure Youth, 196cm, 27
F Lu Cheng-ju, Yulon, 192cm, 23
F Chou Po-chen NTNU, 196cm, 20
F Cheng jen-wei, KKL, 194cm, 23
F Lin Chih-chieh, TB, 192cm, 27
F Chen Tse-wei, Dacin, 200cm, 24
F Tien Lei, Dacin, 202cm, 26
F Ho Shou-cheng, TB, 196cm, 27
C Tseng Wen-ting, Yulon, 202cm, 26
C Wu Tai-hao, TB, 202cm, 25
C Ha Hsiao-yuan, TB, 200cm, 29