Women's hoops will travel to Taiwan for summer tournament

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University women's basketball team is doing some globetrotting this summer as the Panthers are set to represent the United States at the 34th William Jones Cup International Basketball Tournament in Taiwan this July. Chapman's entire 2011-12 team – including one last hurrah for all five seniors – will take part in the event from July 7-11 at the Miaoli Dome Gymnasium in Miaoli County, Taiwan.

Chapman will be the lone U.S. representative in the six-team exhibition which will feature teams from India, Japan, Korea and Taiwan (a.k.a. Chinese Taipei). Taiwan is an island off the eastern coast of China and to the south of Japan, while Miaoli County is located approximately 60 miles south of the capital, Taipei City.

The Jones Cup is named after Renato William Jones, a basketball promoter and one of the founders of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). Since 1977, the tournament invites clubs, collegiate teams, and national teams from around the world but mainly from the Asian and the North American regions. In 2011, the host national team from Chinese Taipei won the women's tournament[1].

The Panthers are coming off their 18th consecutive winning season after finishing 13-12 and out of the NCAA playoff picture for just the second time in 12 years. Chapman had three players average 10 or more points, including sophomore G Kimi Takaoka who led the Panthers with 15.4 points per game. Senior C Brandi Hood (10.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg) and junior Emily McCoy (10.0 ppg) also aided Chapman's offensive attack.

Hood and senior G Liz Hartnett will be providing their takes on the Panthers' travels abroad with blogs, photos and videos from Taiwan via the Chapman Athletics Facebook page.

More details regarding the team's game schedule and how you can follow the Chapman women from the United States will be forthcoming.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

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