CHINESE Taipei and China will be going up against one another in the coming window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
However, FIBA has ruled that the March 1 game be played at a neutral site. The Mall of Asia Arena was selected as the venue and tickets are already available on sale for one of the most unique basketball game Filipino basketball fans will be witnessing.
It won’t be the first time, though, that Chinese Taipei and China will be facing each other in the Philippines. During the pandemic, China beat the Taiwanese twice in 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifier held in a bubble at the Angeles University Foundation gym.
READ Chinese-Taipei topples 'Great Wall' with 2013 Fiba Asia upset
Thirteen years ago, however, Chinese Taipei pulled off a famous victory that perhaps went down as one of the most memorable moments in in the nation's basketball history.
It was on August 9, 2013 when Chinese Taipei faced China in the quarterfinals of the FIBA Asia Championship at the MOA Arena. The Philippines hosted a tournament remembering for Gilas' stunning win over archrival Korea in the semifinals that enabled the Philippines to book a place in the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
But it was also the tournament where Chinese Taipei pulled off a huge upset by stunning China, 96-78, to oust the then-defending champion out of the tournament.
During this time, China was an Asian power with the likes of Yao Ming helping the country win 15 of the last 19 Asia Cup crowns prior to 2013. So getting beaten by a team like Chinese Taipei, which to this day is still in conflict with China, is almost unthinkable.
But the Taiwanese pulled it off.
Lin Chih-chieh provided the unforgettable highlight of the match-up when he drained a three-pointer to complete Chinese Taipei’s win over the mainland squad and advance to the semifinals, their highest finish in the now-FIBA Asia Cup since 1999.
Naturalized player Quincy Davis was the top scorer of the Chinese Taipei side with 26 points in the famous victory.
Even prior to the historic win over China, Chinese Taipei was already having a splendid outing in the tournament, even beating host Gilas Pilipinas, 84-79, during the group stage.
China then still had the likes of Yi Jianlian and Wang Zhizhi in the roster but it was obviously not enough to repeat as champions.
Will the Mall of Asia Arena be kind once again to Chinese Taipei?
We will find out on March 1.
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