BASKETBALL/NCCU Griffins win first Asian University Basketball League title

Taipei, Aug. 25 (CNA) The National Chengchi University (NCCU) Griffins, after dominating Taiwan's university men's basketball for five seasons, won the first Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) championship Sunday with an 82-79 victory over China's Tsinghua University in Hangzhou.

NCCU topped a 12-team field at Binjiang Gymnasium in Hangzhou, which also featured squads from Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Mongolia. Griffins guard Sung Hsin-hao (宋昕澔) was named Finals MVP.

Sung, a senior, had a game-high 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, earning his third Player of the Game award in the seven-day tournament.

In the post-game press conference, Sung said the team executed the coaching staff's strategy well by keeping Tsinghua's key player in check.

Also named to the All-AUBL Team, Sung said his main focus is finishing his bachelor's degree and declined to comment when asked whether he plans to enter the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) draft in 2026.

The AUBL, certified by the Asian University Sports Federation and preceded by the 2024 Asian University Basketball Challenge, is the first pan-regional league for university teams across Asia.

The South China Morning Post quoted AUBL chief executive Jay Li (李錦天) as saying the league plans to expand next season, starting in late 2026, with 15 or 16 teams playing home-and-away matches.

"The beauty of college sports is that you don't necessarily know who the superstars are, but they're all very good and entertaining because they're hustlers. They care about the honor and the prize," Li was quoted as saying.