CHINESE-TAIPEI ECSTATIC OVER HISTORIC WIN AGAINST THE MAINLAND
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 11 Aug 2013
MANILA (PNA) -- ?Very happy, I?m just very happy!?
Only in those simple words Chinese Taipei national coach Hsu Chin-Che blurted out in response to question as to how he felt scoring a first ever victory over China in 38 years since the mainland was admitted to the then Asian Basketball Confederation fold in 1975.
The emphatic 18-point 96-78 triumph by the Taiwanese in Friday?s quarterfinal round of the current FIBA Asia Championship officially ended the Chinese?s two-year reign as Asia?s kingpins in the sport.
Coach Hsu would not say whether the win was sweeter for reason that the Chinese?s dethronement meant the latter?s chase for the championship they 14 times before 2011 in Wuhan was, likewise, aborted.
He simply smiled when one reporter reminded him that his and his boys? victory cut the Chinese?s domination over the Taiwanese to 10. With the win, the Taiwanese, thus, advanced to Saturday night meeting with unbeaten Iran in the knockout semifinal round that also would have seen host Philippines facing South Korea in the other side of the Final Four showdown.
The last time Chinese Taipei made it to the Final Four was in 1999, the year it ended up fourth behind champion, who else but China, runner up South Korea and third placer Saudi Arabia. That year was also the fifth time that the former Formosa Province of China wound up a game short of barging into the medal standing.
An original member of the now FIBA Asia, the then Formosans had actually been runners up twice in 1960 when the ABC was born in Manila and in 1963 in their own turf, both behind the Filipinos. They brought home the bronze medal, also twice, in 1973 in Manila, again behind the Filipinos and the Koreans and in 1989 in Beijing behind the Chinese and the Koreans.
The Taiwanese return to prominence, according to many who know, is a product of long years of build up program embarked by the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association.
Philippine coach Chot Reyes himself said members of the present Chinese Taipei squad have been playing together since 2006 so that is not surprising that the team has reached this far in this year?s FIBA Asia, which is also the qualifying tournament for next year?s World Championship in Spain.
P.S. ? The Taiwanese will be playing Korea in the battle for third Sunday.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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