HSU To Play Pre-season Tournament in Taiwan

[EDAllen17]

I was listening to northcoast game night today. Mike Kehrig said that HSU would be playing in a tournament in Taiwan. That would give them a great headstart on the season. Any thoughts?

[Super mom]

The only thing is they leave June 4th or something like that so it is pretty early in the "season" to do much. If it was later in the year, like maybe September or October it might be better. I'm sure they are all excited and don't care when it is, Taiwan is paying for everything so it is a win win for HSU. My question would be since it is so early do the exiting seniors get to go? I'm looking forward to Nov 4th when they take on UCLA, hopefully that will happen this time. I plan to be there!

[Humboldt Super Fan]

Here is my take on this tournament in China. I think it will a good thing for this team to play to build chemistry for next season. I will always remember the pre game interview that Coach Wood had before the Southwest Minnesota State game at the Disney Classic last November. Southwest Minnesota State had the same opportunity that Humboldt is getting this year with the experience taking place up in Canada. We know what happened in that game, it was a 51 point win over a green Humboldt State team.

We will find out a lot about this team for next season. The expectations are there. Could they be bigger after this tournament? Let's see how they do in Taiwan and go from there.

I

[EDAllen17]

This article is on the HSU website:

Summer tournament sends Jacks overseas

ARCATA ? Cancel all other summer plans. You?ve just been been selected for an all-expenses paid trip to an exotic destination ? the island nation of Taiwan.

Three weeks ago, the Humboldt State men?s basketball program learned that scenario was a distinct possibility following conversations between HSU head Coach Tom Wood and coordinators of the Kainan International Basketball Invitational. Following the initial emails and phone calls, the prospect solidified, and the Jacks will be winging their way to Taiwan on June 5.

In its fourth year of existence, the event is hosted and paid for by Kainan University, located outside of the capital city of Taipei. Previous participants representing the United States have been Boston University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and this year?s field will include teams hailing from Japan, Australia, Hungary and Taiwan.

According to Dr. Jonathan Butler, professor of English at Kainan University and one of the tournament?s organizers, the event was first conceived by the school?s former president, an avid supporter of internationalization at the university. Current president Dr. An Pang Kao is keen to see the tradition continue as it has proven to be a highly effective instrument in promoting cultural exchange and understanding.

?The teams are selected based on the personal preference of our president, who aims for maximum diversity and maximum representation of foreign teams in each tournament,? Butler said. ?We have only four domestic teams competing most years in an 8-team tournament.?

While visiting Taiwan, HSU?s players will tour the island?s cultural attractions, and have several opportunities to interact with their hosts and athletes representing other visiting nations. The tours and social events, like lodging and airfare, are all provided completely free of charge.

And naturally, the Jacks will also play basketball; lots of it, in fact. They?ll open the event on June 8 (June 7 in the USA, after crossing the international dateline) against Shih Chien University, a private university located in Taipei. The next day will feature a game against National Taiwan Normal School, and HSU will play its third game in three days against Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary.

?This is the opportunity of a lifetime,? Wood said. ?The educational value is immense. The student-athletes will experience a different part of the world, see different cultures, and a different style of basketball.?

Competition wraps up June 11 with consolation and championship games against teams emerging from the other bracket. Closing ceremonies and more educational tours complete the weeklong event.

[jacksfan]

Follow the tournament here...

Humboldt State University Athletics - Daily Blog from Taiwan

[jacksfan]

HSU opens tournament with rout of Shih Chien

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TAOYUAN CITY, Taiwan ? Shaking off jet lag, Humboldt State entertained an enthusiastic crowd with a high-flying 102-53 victory over Shih Chien University in the Jacks' opener of the Kainan University International Basketball Invitational on Monday.

Making his Lumberjack debut, junior transfer Brian Morris scored 29 points and grabbed 19 rebounds to pace HSU, while Kevin Atkins added 17 points and Colt Mathews 12 and nine rebounds in a balanced effort. All 11 players on the Jacks' traveling roster for the event got in on the action, gaining a 55-31 lead by halftime and never letting up.

The game provided HSU with a good opportunity to adjust to international playing rules that include a 24-second clock and four 10-minute quarters. Utilizing its inside presence effectively, the Jacks went inside repeatedly to Morris in the early going, and cranked up the defense to force the team from Taipei into turnovers.

Also helping out on offense for the Jacks was Will Petty, with nine points and seven rebounds, Kyle Baxter, with nine points, and David Broome, with seven points and three assists. Zac Tiedeman dished a team-high six assists, but sat out most of the second half.

The task gets tougher as tournament action continues Tuesday with an 11:30 a.m. local time game against Taiwan's University Basketball Association champions, National Taiwan Normal University. NTNU finished its season with an ubeaten 15-0 record, and features former BYU-Hawaii standout Wu Dai-hao and seven players who start for professional teams on the island.

Along with making their international court debut, the Lumberjacks also enjoyed opening ceremonies that included a Chinese puppet show and skits put on by all of the attending schools. The tournament includes four schools from Taiwan, one each from Australia, Hungary and Japan, along with the Lumberjacks.

[jacksfan]

Toast of Taiwan: Jacks claim championship




TAOYUAN CITY, Taiwan ? With all the pomp and circumstance of an Olympic medal ceremony, the Humboldt State men?s basketball team was crowned champion of the Kainan International Basketball Invitational on Thursday.

HSU earned the honor, awarded in front of a packed gym at Kainan University, by defeating Bond University of Australia, 102-94. Finishing with four wins in four days, the Lumberjacks were pressed to play their best by the experienced and crafty Bond squad.

Having adapted to the 24-second clock and international rules, the Jacks went over the century mark for the second time in Taiwan. Leading the way were Kyle Baxter, with 21 points, Zac Tiedeman, with 20, and Ernie Spada, Kevin Atkins and Brian Morris, all with 12.

Atkins added a team-high 11 rebounds and Morris grabbed nine for HSU. Tiedemaan also dished six assists before leaving the game with seven minutes remaining because of an ankle sprain.

HSU edged ahead, 25-22, following the first quarter and led by as many as seven points early. But the resilient Bond team rallied, taking a 26-24 lead behind the hot shooting of American citizen John Ewing, a doctorate student at the university down under.

At halftime, the Jacks held a 47-43 lead, and gained a 14-point lead before Bond closed within 10 by the end of the third quarter. The Aussies scored the first seven points of the fourth period to pull within three points again, but key baskets by Morris and Baxter down the stretch helped the Jacks prevail.

Bond was limited by foul trouble to 6-9 Matt Zauner, but the Jacks also experienced issues with whistles down low. Both Morris and Atkins played most of the final quarter with four fouls. Ewing finished 22 points to top the Australian team.

Following the game, Kainan University president Dr. An-Pang Kao presented the awards to the HSU, runner-up Bond, third-place finisher National Taiwan Normal University and fourth-place University of Tokyo. Earlier in the day, the Lumberjacks joined the other three international teams in an autograph session, posing for photos and signing their names for hundreds of Kainan students.