Rakuten expanding the spotlight on international university basketball
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Four top Asian university basketball teams from Japan, Indonesia, Chinese Taipei and the Philippines met in Tokyo to compete in the first ever World University Basketball Series tournament held August 9 to 11.
The tournament aims to empower local talent and the basketball community by expanding the spotlight for some of the region’s most promising young players.
For the players themselves, the event was a chance to showcase their skills on the international stage against a selection of Asia’s top collegiate talent.
We spoke with the players and coaches about university basketball’s increasingly global stage, Asia’s expanding pro talent pipeline, and the unique opportunities for personal development when playing internationally.
Akira Rikukawa, head coach for Japan’s Tokai University Seagulls, speaks to his team during the World University Basketball Series.
Fostering a global mindset
For many of the players, especially for those in their first and second years, this tournament was the first opportunity in the past two years to compete internationally due to the pandemic.
“These games really mean a lot to us,” said Tzu-Wei Chen, head coach for Chinese Taipei’s National Chengchi University (NCCU) Griffins.
“Our players are working hard towards playing basketball professionally in the future and they are very open to the opportunity to play overseas one day.”
He added: “This event is an ideal platform for them to be spotted by professional leagues around the world, especially back home and in Japan.”
Tzu-Wei Chen, head coach for Chinese Taipei’s National Chengchi University (NCCU) Griffins looks on during their game against Indonesia’s Universitas Pelita Harapan Eagles.
Coach Chen added that the event has given his players the opportunity to “understand the importance of foreign languages and cultures as well as a glimpse into having a global mindset.”
Chen-Ya Chang is one of NCCU’s top current players. He is in his fourth year of university and was recently drafted as first overall pick by the Taoyuan Pilots in Chinese Taipei’s professional basketball league, the P. League+.
“Don’t be complacent and stay hungry. Take every opportunity to improve yourself.” — Chen-Ya Chang, National Chengchi University (NCCU) Griffins
While Chang’s sights are now set on beginning his professional career at home, he had advice for the younger players on his team: “With international tournaments such as this, it’s important to seize every opportunity to show the best of yourself. It is a very good chance to expand your own possibilities and your vision of the future.”
He added: “Though we’ve been playing together for over two years, don’t be complacent and stay hungry. Take every opportunity to improve yourself.”
Chen-Ya Chang (#15), Forward, Fourth Year, National Chengchi University (NCCU) Griffins
Japan’s B.League catalyzing basketball growth in Asia
Tab Baldwin, head coach for the Philippines’ Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, knows the immense popularity of basketball, especially at the university level.?
“Now in the Philippines, university basketball is extremely popular,” said Coach Baldwin. “Our top league would be on par with the country’s professional league, in terms of popularity.”
But he also credits overseas pro leagues – Japan’s B.League in particular in recent years – as contributing to the development of basketball in Asia.
“It has accelerated a lot in the last few years,” he said, speaking about the recent growth of the sport in Asia overall. “And the B.League is a big catalyst in that growth.”
Tab Baldwin, head coach for the Philippines’ Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, speaks to his team.
For Dave Ildefonso, one of the top players currently playing for the Ateneo Blue Eagles, getting seen by talent scouts in Japan is a big motivation for playing in this tournament.
“It’s really a great opportunity for me to be playing here in Japan,” said Ildefonso, “because, as you know, the B.League is here and a lot of people from that league are watching this tournament.”
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“My dream is to play internationally, so hopefully I can catch the eye of one or two teams.” — Dave Ildefonso, Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles
“My dream is to play internationally, so hopefully I can catch the eye of one or two teams.”
Ildefonso would not be the first Ateneo Blue Eagle to be drafted as a pro into the B.League.
Thirdy Ravena and Kiefer Ravena, two of the most well-known ex-Ateneo Blue Eagle players (and brothers), both now play professionally in the B.League.
Dave Ildefonso (#10), Forward, Third Year, Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles
Life lessons
For the coaches, the opportunity to help the young athletes develop personally as individuals, was just as important as their professional development.
Asked about how young basketball players could continue to improve and develop, Stephen L. Metcalfe, head coach for Indonesia’s Universitas Pelita Harapan Eagles, said “for me, it’s about how they can become better people.”
He added: “Basketball has a very short lifespan, and it can change in a moment. You blow out a knee and your life changes. We should think more about using basketball as a tool to help young people grow and become better people.”
Rhetorically, he mentioned, “So, what can we do to help young people make better life decisions and how can we use basketball, or sports in general, as a vehicle to teach life lessons. Maybe we should all do a better job of that.”
Stephen L. Metcalfe, head coach for Indonesia’s Universitas Pelita Harapan Eagles, in a huddle with his team.
For some of the players, having a diverse international background can be used as extra motivation for developing as a player and as a person.
Mouhamed Lamine Mbaye plays center for NCCU but hails from Senegal in West Africa. He moved to Chinese Taipei to pursue an opportunity to play university basketball after shining in his hometown’s under-16 basketball league.
“You’ve got a lot of people on your back, so you just got to keep going hard and hard. You can’t give up.” — Mouhamed Lamine Mbaye, National Chengchi University (NCCU) Griffins
Asked how he stays motivated as a player while playing in such different environments, he said, “I just think about back home and what it took to get here. Because it’s really hard to leave Africa. We don’t have a lot of opportunities like European or American people. So, if you have a chance to come here, I just see it as a challenge.”
He said: “You’ve got a lot of people on your back, so you just got to keep going hard and hard. You can’t give up.”
Mouhamed Lamine Mbaye (#4), Center, First Year, National Chengchi University (NCCU) Griffins
Being so far away from home seemed to also serve as an opportunity to focus.
Looking forward, Mbaye laid out his goals simply.
“I want to improve my game, get better every day, help my teammates get better, win a championship and get to the next level.”
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