Taiwan Beer (16-14) needed both wins against the Bank of Taiwan and the Sina Lions over the weekend to edge past the ETTV Antelopes (also 16-14) to secure its first postseason berth in Super Basketball League.
The beermen had to win both contests to clinch the fourth-and-final playoff spot because the Antelopes pulled off the upset of the year by beating the league-leading Yulon Dinos 88-75 on Saturday.
Though both clubs finished the regular season with identical records, the beermen edged out the Antelopes for the berth because of their 3-2 record in head-to-head competition.
Taiwan Beer 72, Bank of Taiwan 66
The brew crew fought off a tenacious rally by the bankers' during the final quarter on Saturday's to grab the win.
Lin Chih-jeh led the brewers' offense with 19 points and five rebounds, while teammate Lee Wei-ming chipped in 18 points.
The game began with the beermen holding a 22-20 edge after the first quarter.
A 22-13 scoring run in the second quarter gave the beermen a 44-33 halftime lead.
An all-out defensive effort by the bankers limited Taiwan Beer to just nine points in the final quarter, but the beermen held on for the victory.
Taiwan Beer 97, Lions 76
"The Beast" exploded for 37 points in Sunday's 97-76 slaughter of the Lions to propel the beermen into the postseason.
With its fate riding on the outcome the game, Taiwan Beer immediately went after the big cats by taking a 15 point lead mid-way through the second quarter, building their advantage to as much as 27 points early in the fourth quarter.
The commanding lead by the beermen quickly shifted the attention on the floor from the game score to the Beast's quest to repeat as the league's scoring champ.
Lin Chih-jeh answered the challenge (needing 33 points to move past Tigers great Tien Lei for the scoring title) by ringing up 37 points to secure his second straight scoring title.
Antelopes 88, Dinos 75
It took a perfectly executed effort by the Antelopes against an off night from the Dinos to make Saturday's upset of the season possible.
Outmatched on paper in every facet of the game, the underdog Antelopes defied the odds as twin towers Wu Dai-hao and Wu Jung-hsiung took it strong to the hoop for a combined 47 points and 18 rebounds.
Two-time Player of the Week winner Yang Yu-ming of the Antelopes also had his perimeter game clicking, hitting three of seven three-point attempts en route to a 13-point night.
Poor shooting (27-for-73 from the field), coupled with a 19-rebound deficit (49-to-30), ultimately cost the Dinos the game even though they managed to put up 27 points out of desperation against the Antelopes' 19 in the final quarter.
The loss by the Dinos ended their season-best, 11-game winning streak, reminding the previously red-hot squad just how much room there still is for improvement.
In other league action, the Dacin Tigers beat the Videoland Hunters on Friday 93-86 in a preview of the first-round playoff matchup laters this week.
The Hunters also fell to the Dinos 90-82 on Sunday to close out the season with three consecutive losses.
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