TAIPEI (TVBS News) — New Taipei City's jubilant mayor, Hou You-yi (侯友宜), announced Monday (June 30) that a victory parade celebrating the New Taipei Kings (新北國王隊) championship win will wind through the districts of Xinzhuang (新莊) and Banqiao (板橋) on Tuesday. The Kings clinched the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL, 台灣職業籃球大聯盟) title on Saturday in a nail-biting final game that has electrified the city's sports community.
In a gesture of civic celebration, the New Taipei City government announced that 15 municipal sports centers and multiple gymnasiums will waive entrance fees for three days, allowing residents to participate in the championship festivities. The initiative represents part of a broader strategy to cultivate basketball enthusiasm and promote active lifestyles throughout Taiwan's most populous municipality. "We want every citizen to share in this moment of pride," Mayor Hou declared, adding that the Kings' victory offers a powerful example of perseverance for young athletes across the region.
The basketball momentum will continue as Xinzhuang Gymnasium (新莊體育館) prepares to host the prestigious 44th William Jones Cup International Basketball Tournament (威廉瓊斯盃國際籃球邀請賽) from July 12 to 20. Seven international squads from across Asia and Oceania — including Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Bahrain, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar — will compete in what officials describe as a critical warm-up tournament before teams head to the higher-stakes Asian Cup in August. ◼