Taiwan U18 women’s NT lost to South Korea 61-42 in the bronze medal game of the 2012 FIBA Asia U18 Women’s Championship in Johor Bahru, Malaysia yesterday and failed to win a ticket to the World Championship.
Taiwan defeated South Korea 88-71 in its last preliminary game, but the team obviously was still in a slump yesterday after suffering a 113-55 defeat against Japan in the semifinal.
With experiences at the U16 and U18 Asian championship as well as the U19 World Championship, 180cm versatile forward Lin Yu-ting will be Taiwan NT’s leader at the FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women at Johor Baru, Malaysia.
Lin will be one of the few players who was able to participate in two U18 Asia events because she made the NT roster at a very young age.
And her goal would be the same -- making the medal round and win an opportunity for a berth in the World Championship in Lithuania next year.
Led by Lin Yu-ting's 15, Taiwan placed five scorers in double-digit and defeated host Chile for the second time in the tournament to finish 11th place in the 2011 FIBA World U19 Championship for Women.
While the 11th place is not something to brag about, it is already Taiwan's best finish in the tourney. Taiwan was winless in its first appearance in 1993. This year it had a 3-5 record in Chile.
(FIBA.com report)
Puerto Varas (2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women) - While some may have thought Chinese Taipei were in Chile to make up the numbers, they have shown they mean business on night one of the FIBA U19 World Championship for Women.
The FIBA U18 Asia Championship bronze medallists squarely put one foot in the Eight Finals with a superb 83-73 victory over the more fancied Slovenia in Puerto Varas.
Women's NT
FIBA Asia Women's Championship: Chang Hui-ying, Taipower
**Chang replaced Cathay Life's Hung Ling-yao, who resigned from her post citing family business one week after her nomination, as the head coach. Chang will be making her debut as the NT head coach.
FIBA U19 Women's Championship: Chen Mei-li, Tamsui High School
FIBA Asia U16 Women's Championship: Shi Chao-chieh, Yung-jen Junior High School
Men's NT
FIBA Asia Men's Championship: Chou Jun-san, Taiwan Beer
FIBA U19 Men's Championship: Huang Wan-lung, Song-shan High School
FIBA Asia U16 Men's Championship: Lin Cheng-ming, Nen-ren High School
And China beat Japan 122-78 to win the gold medal...
Final placing
LEVEL I
1 China
2 Japan
3 Taiwan
4 Korea
5 Malaysia*
6 Kazakhstan**
LEVEL II
1 Thailand*
2 India**
3 Philippines
4 Sri Lanka
5 Syria
6 Laos
SURAT THANI, Thailand (20th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): A second quarter surge that caught their rivals completely unaware helped Chinese Taipei forge ahead for a 78-54 win over Korea in the third place play-off on Wednesday.
The bronze medal was Taipei’s first medal in eight years. Taipei had last won a medal when they bagged the silver in the 2002 edition of the Championship which they had hosted.
The third-place finish also booked Taipei’s ticket to Chile as the third FIBA Asia team to play in the 9th FIBA World U19 Championship for Women to be held in the South American country next year.
China and Japan, who play the gold medal had already qualified.
“We are thrilled to win the medal and represent FIBA Asia in the World Championship,” beamed Taipei coach Chen Mei-Li.
Korea, who had won a medal in all their 18 appearances so far – seven gold, five silver and six bronze – failed to finish on the podium for the first time in the Championship in more than three decades.
The last time Korea did not figure on the podium was in the 1980 edition at Bangkok, when they had not participated in the event.
“We were highly inconsistent,” lamented Korea coach Choul Kwon Choi.
Taipei had beaten Korea 84-82 in the Preliminary Round of the competition here and it certainly looked like Korea had learnt their lessons from that defeat, at least in the initial phases of the game.
Jihyun Lee, who was woefully off color in the previous defeat – she scored a mere five points in that game – was the leader of the early Korean charge.
Jihyun Lee opened the scoring for Korea, and followed it up a sizzling three-pointer. Gyuhee Kim added one of her own as Korea scored the first seven points of the game.
They maintained the edge on the scoreboard, but only until Taipei made their move early in the second quarter.
Lin Yu-Ting who scored 19 points in Taipei’s earlier win against Korea scored back-to-back to put Taipei level at 23-23 and Huang Hsiang-Ting followed her assist and gave Taipei the first lead of the game.
Taipei rolled on to a 12-0 spree which perched them in control of the proceedings.
Taipei went into the changing rooms 31-25 ahead and opened up a 13-point lead when Liu Jung-Hsing scored drove in the lane at about the midway mark of the third quarter.
Their control of the proceedings and the scoreboard only grew thereafter.
Lin Yu-Ting and Huang Hsiang-Ting shared the scoring honors for Taipei with Lee Ching-Ning with 15 points each.
Where Taipei flourished Korea who were outscored 6-18 in the second quarter withered.
Jihyun Lee who had scored 12 points in Korea’s initial flurry failed to add any later.
“We anticipated their early pace,” said Wang Wei-Chieh.
“Our defense was a little shaky at the start, but then it was understandable because of the pace of the game,” he added.
“We had to switch our defense, which we had planned for, and things fell in place for us,” he said.
“This medal is very crucial for Taipei basketball,” said Chen Mei-Li.
“Our preparations (for the World Championship) stars tomorrow. We are proud of what these girls have achieved here and we will ensure they keep the flag flying high.”
For Game Statistics and Detailed scores click here
S Mageshwaran / FIBA Asia
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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
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.
For schedule, game results and reports please download the following files here. http://www.box.net/shared/84fbh7t70y
Background report:
Six teams in fray for title, six more seek promotion
MEDAN, Indonesia (FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): Twelve teams – divided into two levels – will be seen in action in the 19th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women starting at the picturesque capital of North Sumatra on Sunday.The top three finishers from the week-long championship will qualify for the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women, scheduled to be held in Thailand.
Six-time defending champions China, Korea – the only other team to ever win the title – last edition’s runners-up Japan, Chinese Taipei, India and Malaysia will contest in the elite Level I, which will decide the champions as well as the qualifiers for the World Championship.
Hosts Indonesia, making a comeback to the championship after a 16-year gap, are drawn with fellow South East Asian rivals Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, East Asia’s Hong Kong and Middle Asian nation Kazakhstan in Level II.
The top four finishers in Level I will be involved in a semifinal knockout.
The top two finishers from Level II will play off with the bottom two finishers of Level I for a place in the elite Level for the next edition.
Both levels will witness an all-play-all format for identifying the semifinalists and the play-off participants.
Big time basketball makes an appearance in Indonesia after quite a gap and the FIBA Asia top brass are quite excited about the championship providing a boost to the sport in this region.
“I’m sure Medan will rise to the occasion and give us a successful championship,” FIBA Asia Secretary General Dato’ Yeoh Choo Hock said.
“We have had a very eventful year in FIBA Asia. Iran’s impressive showing at the Olympics, the successful resumption of the FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup and the colorful start to the FIBA 33 competition in Bali last week, are some of the top successes for FIBA Asia this year,” he said.
“Not to forget China’s excellent hosting of the Olympics.”
“Of course, we have conducted all our regular tournaments without any hitch and have raised the standards on that front too. Medan’s success will be the icing on the FIBA Asia cake,” he added.
On the competition front though, the question that lingers in everyone’s mind is: Who will better the East Asian quartet?
China, Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei have held a stranglehold on the top four finishes in the championship for almost the last quarter of a century.
The last time any team outside this foursome made the semifinals was when Malaysia made the last four in the eighth edition of the championship at Seoul, Korea way back in 1984.
China, Korea and Japan finished as the top three in the last edition at Bangkok and duly qualified for the 2007 FIBA World U19 Championship at Slovakia.
Both China and Korea have brought one player each from the team that played in Slovakia to spearhead their campaign at Medan.
Point guard Hyejin Park, who averaged 6.8 PPG in Slovakia, will hope that her World Championship experience will help Korea regain the title, which they last won in the 12th edition of the championship in Beijing in 1992.
China will counter the Park threat with center Zheng Bowen, who as the youngest member of the team in Slovakia returned an average 5.9 PPG.
Korea had finished eighth and China 11th as Japan finished 13th at Slovakia.
India and Malaysia, both of whom were promoted from Level II at the last edition in Bangkok, thus have their task cut out to dent the might of the East Asian stranglehold. Should that happen it will be a fitting finale to this year’s FIBA Asia calendar.
Rankings at the 18th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women
1. China
2. Japan
3. Korea
4. Chinese Taipei
5. Singapore*
6. Thailand*
7. India**
8. Malaysia**
9. Kazakhstan
10. Hong Kong
11. Vietnam
12. Sri Lanka
Note: * denotes relegated to Level II. **denotes promoted to Level I.S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia
