A series of warm-up games for several European men’s national basketball teams are set to be held in August in New Taipei, ahead of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, according to the organizers on Friday.
At a press conference at New Taipei City Hall, Taiwan professional basketball T1 LEAGUE secretary-general Edward Chang (???) said the games, which will center around men’s national teams from Lithuania, France and Latvia, are scheduled to be held from Aug. 18-22 at the city’s Xinzhuang Gymnasium.
Ticket sales are slated to start in May, Chang added.
Mindaugas Balciunas, Lithuanian Basketball Federation’s secretary general, said the best players of Lithuania are expected to be in the country’s roster.
“Domantas Sabonis already confirmed, Jonas Valanciunas already made a huge interview that he is waiting for the moment to play again for the national team, so we will have the best ever roster,” Balciunas said.
Sabonis and Valanciunas play in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings and the New Orleans Pelicans, respectively.
“We’ve been offered to play in many places of Asia, but we chose Taiwan without any doubt. This is the best place, you have love for basketball, you have infrastructure, you have very strong organizers, so this is a great place to play basketball,” Balciunas said.
Regarding the two other countries expected to take part in the warm-up games in New Taipei, Balciunas said Latvia has confirmed, while France is almost confirmed.
“We almost confirmed France, because it’s very close,” Balciunas said. “We just need to have a coach confirmation.”
In his remarks at the press conference, Balciunas said Lithuania and Taiwan are very close because of shared values and will work together by organizing basketball exchanges, such as coaches’ education, youth training, and other grassroots programs.
“I know how people love basketball here, I know how big plans you have in basketball and Lithuania will share the best of what we can. We have one of the most effective basketball systems in the world,” Balciunas said.
Lithuania is ready to start to transfer basketball knowledge as soon as Taiwan says it is ready, Balciunas added.
Meanwhile, T1 LEAGUE defending champion Kaohsiung Aquas center Mindaugas Kupsas told CNA he can see the warm-up games being beneficial for Taiwan’s local players as they can personally witness quality European basketball.
“This basketball style is different from the style we play here, because we (Lithuania) play a little bit slower and more combinations with the set plays,” Kupsas said. “You can see one of the best levels of basketball here at home.”
The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup are scheduled to be held Aug. 25 to Sept. 10 across the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel