Taipei Times
Date: Apr 13, 2016
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Taiwan’s international soccer aspirations once again face turbulent times,

with officials under pressure to name a replacement at the top following last week’s abrupt resignation of national squad head coach Chen Kuei-jen.

The Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) has since been busy convening meetings and making consultations to find a new coach, as Taiwan need to be ready for an AFC Asian Cup two-legged qualifier against Cambodia in June.

In a surprise move on Tuesday last week, Chen announced that he was resigning to take responsibility for the team’s “shortcomings” in their qualifying campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Taiwan were eliminated ahead of their final Group F match, in which they were soundly beaten by Vietnam 4-1 in Hanoi on March 24. Taiwan lost every game home and away against their Group F opponents — Vietnam, Thailand and Iraq.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/10
By: Kuay Chau-churh and Elizabeth Hsu

Kuala Lumpur, April 10 (CNA) Taiwan’s ace badminton player Tai Tzu-ying (戴資穎) had to settle for second place in the women’s singles at the Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open Badminton 2016 after she was defeated in the final Sunday.

The 21-year-old lost to Ratchanok Inthanon of Thailand 21-14, 21-15 in straight sets.

The Malaysia Open is one of 12 World Superseries tournaments organized by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). It carries a total cash prize of US$550,000.

Tai, a right-hander, made history in Taiwan when she won her first national title at the age of 16.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 11, 2016
By: Paul Huang / Contributing reporter

Top-seeded Pure Youth Construction clinched an unprecedented fifth

straight trip in the championship finals by topping the fifth-seeded Fubon Braves 77-64 in Game 6 of their semi-final series at the Sinjhuang Sports Complex in New Taipei City last night to win the best-of-seven series 4-2.

Tsai Wen-cheng lead a quartet of double-digit scorers for the Builders, who had too many offensive weapons for the Braves as they shook off the underdogs with a 25-15 scoring differential in the game-deciding third quarter to blow a narrow halftime lead wide open.

“We just played our game in the second half the way we knew how and the rest just took care of itself,” Tsai said.

His team-high 16 points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter, helped spoil any chance of a Braves comeback.

Also worthy of praise were Darian Townes and Keh Chi-hao.

The former led a Pure Youth squad that dominated the Braves on the glass by outrebounding their opponents 45-32, while the latter converted four of six from behind the three-point line as they combined for 29 points.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/09
By: Lee Chin-wei and Romulo Huang

Taipei, April 9 (CNA) Taiwan’s top female badminton player Tai Tzu-ying (戴資穎) defeated Saina Nehwal of India on Saturday to advance to the final of the women’s singles at the Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open Badminton 2016.

In the semifinals, Tsai beat the tournament third seed Nehwal 21-19, 21-13 in straight sets.

Tai will compete Sunday against Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand, the fourth seed of the tournament, for the women’s singles title. Intanon advanced to the finals Saturday with a 21-11, 21-19 win over Wang Yihan of China.

The Malaysia Open, one of 12 tournaments in the World Superseries of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), carries a total prize of US$550,000.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/09
By: Lee Chin-wei and Romulo Huang

Taipei, April 9 (CNA) Taiwan’s top female badminton player Tai Tzu-ying (戴資穎) defeated Saina Nehwal of India on Saturday to advance to the final of the women’s singles at the Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open Badminton 2016.

In the semifinals, Tsai beat the tournament third seed Nehwal 21-19, 21-13 in straight sets.

Tai will compete Sunday against Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand, the fourth seed of the tournament, for the women’s singles title. Intanon advanced to the finals Saturday with a 21-11, 21-19 win over Wang Yihan of China.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 10, 2016
By: Paul Huang / Contributing reporter

Nearly squandering a 19-point, third-quarter lead, top-seeded Pure Youth

Construction held off a late-game rally by the fifth-seeded Fubon Braves and went on to defeat their foes 86-76 at the Sinjhuang Sports Complex in New Taipei City last night to take Game 5 of their semi-final series.

Doug Creighton played the best game of the post-season thus far by connecting for four three’s on a team-high 22-point night to lead the four-time defending champions to a crucial victory that gave them a 3-2 advantage in the best-of-seven series.

“We kept our composure when we needed to the most,” Creighton said after the game, referring to a six-minute stretch in the fourth in which the Braves outscored the Builders 15-5 to pull within five before a clutch two by Creighton with less than three minutes remaining to make it a three-possession game in favor of the Builders.

Fresh off a disappointing overtime loss to the Braves on Thursday night in a game they should have won, Pure Youth opened contest with a 7-0 run to set the tone early.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 08, 2016
By Paul Huang / Contributing reporter

Behind seven points by Liu Sheng-yao in the game’s final minute of overtime,

the Fubon Braves outfought top-seeded Pure Youth Construction to win 86-81 at the Sinjhuang Sports Complex in New Taipei City last night to take Game 4 of their series.

“The shots were there for me, so I took them and did not worry about anything else,” Liu said after an electrifying effort to breathe new life into his team.

Another loss to the Builders would have put them in the dire position of being down 3-1 in the best-of-seven semi-final series, but the result left it at two wins each.

Despite coughing up a six-point lead at the half with a dismal third quarter, Pure Youth had a chance to put the game away late in the fourth when Lin Chin-bang stole an inbound pass with 15.9 seconds remaining in regulation. Lin seemed well on his way to an easy go-ahead score, but the normally sure-handed forward blew a golden opportunity by missing the uncontested layup, sending the game into an extra session.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 06, 2016
By: Paul Huang / Contributing reporter

Unbeaten Taiwan Beer took advantage of a tremendous start in which they outscored the

Dacin Tigers 21-5 in the first seven minutes of play and went on to defeat the Cats 94-75 in Game 3 of the semi-finals at the Sinjhuang Sports Complex in New Taipei City last night to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Patrick O’Bryant played his best game of the post-season thus far by downing 34 points to spearhead a high-powered Taiwan Beer offense that lit up the scoreboard with 78 points in just three quarters of play.

Also starring was Liu Cheng, who netted 23 on the night to up his three-game scoring total to a whopping 79 points — an average of 26.3 points per game.
“We are playing better as a team now and that is very important in the post-season,” Liu said after the game.

His team outplayed the Tigers in nearly every facet of the game, highlighted by an astonishing 20-for-32 shooting from the field (62.5) to cruise past Dacin in convincing fashion.

What should have been a closely-matched series between the second and third-seeded teams has been all Taiwan Beer after their 95-90 overtime victory in the opener and having won the past two games by an average margin of 15 points.

The two teams are to have a day off today before tomorrow night’s potential series-clincher in New Taipei City.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/04
By: Tony Liao and Elizabeth Hsu

Kansas City, U.S., April 3 (CNA) Taiwanese pitcher Chien-Ming Wang said Sunday that his return to the U.S. Major League after an absence of nearly three years was a realization of his dream.

“I’m just doing my utmost, and trying my best to return to the path I chose,” Wang said at a press conference at the Kansas City Royals’ home stadium, during which he confirmed that he was returning to majors after his non-roster spring training with the Royals.

Speaking with reporters from Taiwan, the right-hander, who was an ace in the New York Yankees before he was injured in 2008, stressed the importance of being oneself.

“Be yourself, stick to your own beliefs and realize your own dreams,” he said. “Don’t give up simply because of what people say. Just carry on.”     [FULL  STORY]