Taiwan Mobile almost revamped its entire starting roster with the signing of four national team members and looked like a team capable of contending for the championship in the new season.
Wu Tai-hao, who played for China’s Zhejiang last season, signed with the ambitious team. Wu was followed by Ho Shou-cheng, Cheng Jen-wei and Chen Shih-nian.
[Chou Po-hsun, center, was top pick in the draft. Lin Yao-tsung, left, went to TM while Sung Yu-hsuan went to KKL at No. 3.]
Bank of Taiwan surprised everyone with its selection of 196cm forward Chou Po-hsun, a senior at Mindao University, as the top draft pick in the 2012 SBL draft on Aug. 1 in Taipei.
Chinese Culture University shooting guard Sung Yu-hsuan, who was the odds-on favorite as the No. 1 pick, went to KKL at the third pick. Taiwan Mobile picked up Lin Yao-tsung of Mindao University at No. 2.
Only eight players were selected in the annual draft.
BOT skipped Sung and gambled on Chou for his athleticism and because BOT desperately needed to shore up its front line, according to assistant coach Hsiao Wei-chieh. Hsiao attended the draft for head coach Wei Chen-ming, who was absent due to personal reasons.
The Chinese Taipei Basketball Association announced that a total of 21 players have applied for the 2012 SBL Draft which will be held on August 1 in Taipei.
A pre-draft tryout is scheduled to be held on July 31 in Taipei.
Five players among the applicants appeared to be catching the most attention, including Sung Yu-hsuan, Lin Yao-tsung, Chou Po-hsun, Chang Chia-jung and Chiang Shih-feng.
The 2012 SBL Draft is scheduled to take place on Aug. 1 in Taipei, the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) said.
For the first time, the CTBA said, a pre-draft physical would be held so teams could better understand physical conditions of the applicants.
The draft order will be the reverse of the ranking from the last season with Bank of Taiwan receiving the No. 1 pick.
SBL coaching carousel began as many familiar faces returned to the SBL coaching fraternity recently.
Wei Chen-ming, who coached Bank of Taiwan from 2003-2007 before being replaced by Lai Liang-chung, returned to his old team and replaced Lai as head coach.
BOT under Wei did enjoy a brief spotlight, when it gave defending champ Yulon a scare in an epic four-game first round playoff series in the 2005-06 season. However, the bank-backed team has been always one of the worst teams in the league.
Dacin head coach Chiu Ta-tsun was reported to be coaching in China again and has resigned as the head coach of Taiwan national second team in this year’s WIlliams Jones Cup. Chiu was reportedly to be signing an one-year contract with Jiangsu, where he coached before.
Taiwan NT to play in friendlies in Japan
Local media reported that Taiwan NT has accepted an invitation from Japan, which will host the Asian Cup at Tokyo in September, in a friendly tournament which will be played at the same venue the Asian Cup is going to use.
Details of the tournament are not disclosed.
Taiwan NT opened its training camp 10 days earlier than it was planned for the friendlies. Head coach Hsu Chin-tse said it would be a great opportunity to warm up for the Asian Cup. However, Lin Chih-chieh and Tien Lei will sit out the tourney for various reasons and Tseng Wen-ting could also miss the tournament.
Continue reading “Random Taiwanese bball news: Chiu to coach in China again”
(Last updated: June 15, 2012)
Accumulative W-L, winning percentages
1. Yulon 184-80 .697
2. Taiwan Beer 160-104 .606
3. Dacin 155-109 .587
4. KKL (Jutai/ETSN/dmedia) 124-140 .467
5. Taiwan Mobile (Mars/Videoland) 121-143 .458
6. Pure Youth (Sina/YMY/Azio) 114-150 .432
7. Bank of Taiwan 66-198 .250
Regular season champions
2003-04 Yulon Dinos (19-5)
2004-05 Yulon Dinos (25-5)
2005-06 Yulon Dinos (24-6)
2006-07 Yulon Dinos (22-8)
2007-08 Yulon Dinos (23-7)
2008-09 Dacin Tigers (23-7)
2010 Dacin Tigers (19-11)
2010-11 Taiwan Beer (22-8)
2011-12 Pure Youth (22-8)
Champions (Finals results, losers)
2003-04 Yulon Dinos (3-0, Sina)
2004-05 Yulon Dinos (3-0, Dacin)
2005-06 Yulon Dinos (4-1, Taiwan Beer)
2006-07 Taiwan Beer (4-2, Dacin)
2007-08 Taiwan Beer (4-2, Yulon)
2008-09 Dacin Tigers (4-3, Taiwan Beer)
2010 Yulon Luxgen (4-2, Dacin Tigers)
2010-11 Taiwan Beer (4-1, Dacin Tigers)
2011-12 Pure Youth (4-0, Dacin Tigers)
SBL team meeting convened by the CTBA today reach a consensus that the 2012-13 SBL regular season will tip off on Nov. 17 this year.
Among the important decisions made in the meeting include the acceptance of players of Taiwanese descent for the first time with each team is allowed to keep two such players who possess a ROC (Taiwan) passport.
The players with Taiwanese descent would not be counted as import players.
Taiwan Hoops 