Lin Chih-Chieh returns to Chinese Taipei national pool for Asian Qualifiers
TAIPEI (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - A legend returns for Chinese Taipei as they are set to begin preparations for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers in November.
TAIPEI (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - A legend returns for Chinese Taipei as they are set to begin preparations for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers in November.
That legend is none other than "The Beast" himself, Lin Chih-Chieh. After last seeing action in the FIBA Asia Cup 2015, Lin was supposed to have retired from international basketball, but he has been called up again this year to be part of coach Chou Chun-San's initial 35-man pool for the first window of the Asian Qualifiers that will take place in November.
| Chinese Taipei 35-man national pool for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers | ||||
| TJ Burke | Chang Tsung-Hsien | Chen Kuan-Chuan | Chen Ying-Chun | Chiang Yu-An |
| Chieng Li-Huan | Chou Po-Chen | Chou Po-Hsun | Chou Yi-Hsiang | Quincy Davis |
| Fan Shih-En | Hsieh Zong-Rong | Hu Long-Mao | Huang Chen | Huang Conghan |
| Huang Hung-Han | Hung Chih-Shan | Lee Te-Wei | Lin Chih-Chieh | Lin Chih-Pang |
| Lin Chih-Wei | Liu Cheng | Lu Cheng-Ju | Lu Chih-Er | Peng Chun-Yen |
| Su Yi-Chieh | Su Yi-Jin | Tien Lei | Tsai Wen-Cheng | Tseng Hsiang-Chun |
| Tseng Wen-Ting | Wu Hung-Hsing | Wu Tai-Hao | Yang Ching-Min | Yu Huan-Ya |
Lin is undoubtedly the biggest name on this mammoth pool, and joining him are seven other Taipei players who ply their trade in the biggest and best professional league in Asia, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). These are veterans Tseng Wen-Ting, Tien Lei and Yang Ching-Min along with rising stars Chou Yi-Hsiang, Liu Cheng, Chen Ying-Chun and Hu Long-Mao.
All twelve players who represented Chinese Taipei at the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 return to the national pool, which is a great mix of experienced players, current stars and young guns. Lin is the eldest statesman here at 35 years old, while the lone University standout in this pool is promising 2.05m big man Tseng Hsiang-Chun, who is seen by many to be the heir apparent to Tseng Wen-Ting and Wu Tai-Hao in the middle for Chinese Taipei.
Coach Chou had his first practice session on 12 October, with 18 players showing up. He expects that the CBA players will not be available until a week before the Asian Qualifiers, since the CBA will take a break starting 16 November.
Among those who have strong chances to make the final 24-man pool for the Asian Qualifiers are standouts from the local Super Basketball League (SBL), including Chiang Yu-An, Chou Po-Hsun, Chou Po-Chen, Wu Tai-Hao, Tsai Wen-Cheng, Su Yi-Chieh, Lu Cheng-Ju, the returning Chang Tsung-Hsien and naturalized players Quincy Davis and TJ Burke.
Chinese Taipei are in Group B of the Asian Qualifiers together with Australia, the Philippines and Japan. Taipei host the Boomers on 24 November at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasiu before traveling to Manila and facing Gilas Pilipinas at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on 27 November.
FIBA