The second round of the annual University Basketball Association tournament began at National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei yesterday with unbeaten National Kaohsiung Normal University downing Taichung’s National Taiwan University of Physical Education and Sport 74-69.
What should have been an easy victory for the Future Educators turned into a dogfight against the Future PE Teachers as the latter kept the game close with a solid defense that held the favorites’ offense in check most of the game.
It took Lu Chi-er’s slick drive to the basket with less than two minutes remaining to give his team an insurmountable lead. He would end up with 17 points to be among a trio of double-digit scorers.
Chen Chien-chia led all scorers for National Taiwan University of Physical Education with 20 points.
NORMAL 77, SPORT 54
National Taiwan Normal University made the most of the home advantage by topping Taoyuan’s National Taiwan Sport University in a blowout to keep pace with their counterparts from Greater Kaohsiung.
Playing against two of their former teammates — Chen Guan-chuan and Yang Hsing-chih — the hosts gave the “Twin Towers” a rude welcome as they doubled up on Chen and Yang to keep their combined scoring to a 11 points.
Chen suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter and did not return.
“We are very familiar with [Chen and Yang], so that made it a little easier for us to defend against [them],” National Taiwan Normal head coach Chen Tzu-wei said.
Yesterday’s other results:
‧ Chinese Culture University 81, Taiwan Shoufu University 78
‧ Fu Jen Catholic University 94, Mingdao University 80
‧ University of Arts 81, University of Science and Technology 70
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