In a Taipei version of “March Madness” basketball yesterday, Nanshan High School clinched the High School Basketball League (HBL) women’s division title, while Neng Ren Vocational High School secured the men’s division title.
The ever-popular sports tournament drew a capacity crowd to Taipei Arena — even President Tsai Ing-wen watched the women’s final with about 15,000 other spectators.
Tsai was joined courtside by Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung and Sports Development Committee deputy convenor Yu Cheng-hsien to see New Taipei City’s Nanshan High School edge out Tainan’s Yong Ren High School 65-61 to become HBL champions.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
Afterward, Tsai posed for photographs with Nanshan players as part of the post-game celebration.
“I came to the final today so that I could soak up the youthful energy and enthusiasm of these high schoolers,” Tsai said. “These young athletes gave everything they had, with such fighting spirit. In my high-school days, the games were not so competitive.”
“HBL is your once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Tsai said, quoting the league’s slogan for this year’s finals, adding that she wanted to “experience Taiwan’s own version of March Madness in high school sports.”
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
In the US, “March Madness” refers to a month-long basketball tournament in which top university teams vie for the yearly championship title. The event is one of the most popular US sporting events and captures top TV ratings.
In Taiwan, the HBL and its championship tournament are well-received by the younger generation and sports fans, with the games attracting larger audiences than for Super Basketball League match-ups, which feature semi-professional adult players.
The HBL finals, held in the Taipei Arena last year, but in Kaohsiung and other cities in previous years, are consistently packed to capacity, with TV networks paying princely sums for the broadcasting rights.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
By contrast, university games draw less enthusiasm.
Commentators have said that collegiate sports typically lack funding and tend to be neglected, as university students focus more on academics or on their social lives.
At halftime, the men’s final was tied 30-30, but sharp outside shooting by Neng Ren Vocational High School gave them a lead of 57-50 at the buzzer, allowing them to seize the title out from under challengers Nanshan High School.
It was the third HBL men’s title for Neng Ren Vocational High School and the second women’s title for Nanshan High School.
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