TPE - A night of magic for Hsu, Taipei

MANILA (FIBA Asia Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Chinese Taipei coach Hsu Chin-Tse didn’t need long to reflect on the importance to his country of his team's 96-78 Quarter-Final triumph over China.

"It's a magical day for Taiwan, the best of our basketball history," he enthused.

Magical was indeed the right word.

Not only did Taipei beat their fierce rival for the first time in 11 attempts at the FIBA Asia Championship, they did it after trailing by 17 points midway through the second quarter.

The game seemed to shift on one incredible moment in the shadows of half-time, when guard Hung Shih-Chan buried an improbable buzzer-beater from just in front of the half-court line to reduce the margin to a manageable 10 points.

Having been completely outplayed until that point, Hung and co emerged from the change-rooms a different team, launching a blistering 31-12 third quarter that made a statement loud and clear to everyone in Asian basketball.

"We used this game to prove ourselves to everyone else," Hung said.

After 10 straight double-figure defeats to China by an average of 25 points, the underdogs finally stood tall.

"In the past it has always been a blowout, sometimes over in the first or second quarter. But this game we were able to stay in it and now we're in the final four," veteran Tien Lei said.

Hsu channeled his team's efforts earlier in the tournament to give them belief they could reel in their powerful neighbour, where in previous years they would have been overrun.

"The first game when we played Jordan we were down 13, and against the Philippines we were down 13," he said.

"I told the players focus. Never give up. We are only down 10 at half-time, we have a chance."

One more touch of magic on this special night for Taipei was the performance of Tsai Wen-Cheng.

The 28-year-old forward had been sparingly used in the opening six games, scoring a total of just 25 points, but something told Hsu that Friday was Tsai's time to shine, and he did with 21 incredible points.

"He is my team player back in Taiwan and I know he can do everything - scoring, rebounding, defence," Hsu said.

"In the team meeting I just said Wen will be in the starting five, I think maybe this game he will help us."

While preparations would soon have to start for Saturday’s Semi-Final clash with heavyweights Iran - and Taipei's all-important tilt at their first FIBA Basketball World Cup - Hsu wasn't going to take the shine off this moment quite so soon.

"Iran? Today I don't want to think about this game!" he said.

FIBA