Belize stands up to Taiwanese basketball team
If you missed it, you’ve still got another chance to watch them in action, tonight against the B.T.L. Nets. Last night’s game at the City Centre pitted the Taiwanese National Team against the Belize National Selection. The local boys put up a good, solid fight. Here’s a special report from commentator and News Five Sports Monday host James Adderley for those of you who weren’t courtside or watching it live on Channel Five.
The City Centre took on a distinctive foreign flavor last night as the local Taiwan Community came out in drones to witness the National Basketball Team of Taiwan in action against the National Selection of Belize at the City Centre.
At the tip off it’s Claude “Too Tall” Jones jumping against Chen Chien-Chou and we’re underway. Taiwan strikes the first blow when accurate passing frees up number thirteen Lo Hsing Lang who cans the tre. It’s a slow start for the Belize Team offensively but on defense Claude “Too Tall” Jones gets his respect. Good defense brings potent offense as Darren Bovell demonstrates. For the visitors the three-point shot is the weapon of choice and Lo Hsing Lang just happens to be a capable triggerman. So then Belize goes to the big man down low and Fred Garcia delivers. Meanwhile is this a quick reaction by “Too Tall” Jones after he missed three?
This pumps up Claude Jones and on the next trip down court he hammers the slam home in traffic. Chen Chien-Chou tries to come up with his version of the dunk but comes up empty embarrassingly and when he tries the put-back he gets hammered; he would sink two freebies and at the half Taiwan is up by two.
Immediately into second half A.C. Augustine gets busy, striking for two of his ten point total tonight. At the other end Yen Hsin-Su the point guard finds himself open and buries the three. The National Team finally gets a three to fall when Keith Acosta puts up an offering; he would finish with eleven points. And then Acosta teams up with Maino Bevans for the baddest play of the night, and we just love this alley hoop. A.C. Augustine simply outruns the Taiwan defense, gets fouled, gets bucket nonetheless. “Too Tall” with a good game tonight finds himself at the right place, at the right time and he would finish with ten points.
With two minutes to go Belize is up by one. Taiwan goes to Yen-Su and he cans the three. Meanwhile a miss at the charity stripe by Cheng Chi-Lung leaves the hoop open for Belize with eight and a half seconds to go. We go to Keith Acosta who has to rush the shot, misses but Bart Sanchez has the tip in and we’re tied at sixty-seven points apiece.
We should go into overtime but an official of Taiwan has determined that the game has concluded and there’s nothing anyone can do about it as the Taiwan Team clams travel fatigue – they did arrive just some eight hours before game time.
Meanwhile folks the action continues tonight at the City Center when B.T.L. Nets, the Belize Basketball Association sub-champion gets a shot at the visitors. Game time is for eight thirty tonight and you can catch it live on Channel Five. This is James Adderley reporting for Channel Five.
It is understood from B.T.L. Nets management that former Raiders Keith Acosta and Bart Sanchez have signed to play for the Nets next season and will in fact make their B.T.L. debut tonight against Taiwan.
