TAIPEI (EABA Championship 2017) - Chinese Taipei have long relied on speed and shooting for their success, and they will continue to do so with Chiang Yu-An leading the way at the EABA Championship 2017.

The Chinese Taipei squad missed out being among the top four in the last EABA Championship in 2013, and they are hell bent on making up for that debacle in this year's edition with Chiang among their main weapons.

At just 1.74m, Chiang won't readily strike fear in his foes, but his speed, playmaking and shooting have long been his hallmarks in his country's Super Basketball League. It should not come as a surprise then if the 25-year-old ends up being among the revelations for Chinese Taipei as they plunge into the EABA tournament in Nagano this June.

Chiang is not the most experienced point guard Chinese Taipei have in their stable, but with veterans like Lin Chih-Chieh, Chen Shih-Chieh and Hung Chih-Shan getting up in age and giving way to the younger set, the baby-faced Chiang is set to inherit the mantle of leadership.

It won't be easy for him, however, as regional rivals China, Korea and Japan will be sending very strong teams as well, but Chiang, who last played in the FIBA Asia Challenge 2016, relishes in the rare opportunity to play against and learn from some of Asia's finest floor generals.

He talked about these and more in an interview with FIBA.com.

What has enabled you to be one of the top players in the SBL for the past couple of years?
I credit my coaches and teammates. My coaches give me enough time on the court, so that I have the opportunity to perform my best. Also, my teammates keep encouraging me, teaching me, and sharing their own experiences with me. I consider every practice as the last one, and I also spend all my energy making progress all the time.

What role in the national team do you see for yourself this year?
I need to keep being aggressive on offense and attacking the defense in order to make better chances for my teammates. Also, I would like to do better with our fast-break and set the pace when guarding my opponents.

Which opponent are you most looking forward to play against and why?
I am looking forward to meet every team. Each team’s guard has his own specialty and advantages. I hope I can learn from my opponents and keep getting better as a basketball player.

How is the national team planning to go back to the top level of Asian basketball like they did in 2013 and 2014?
We are a bit lacking in terms of experience on the court. As a matter of fact, we would like to improve by having as many games as possible with other teams.

What would be the national team's main target or goal this year and what are your chances to achieve this?
The first step is to achieve the goal of being in the semi-final of the EABA Championship, and then continue improving our team’s standing. As for myself, I wish I could always do what the coaches want during the game. I would also like to maximize my speed to compensate for my disadvantage in size, grab every opportunity and never give up until the last second!

FIBA