On the strength of a 34-point fourth quarter, the Videoland Hunters knocked off the Dacin Tigers 94-85 at the Taipei Physical Education College Gymnasium in Super Basketball League action on Friday to avenge an earlier loss to the big cats.
Veteran guard Yang Tseh-yi's strong drive to the basket with the Tigers' Tien Lei fouling him in the process not only earned him a three-point play the old way, it sent Tien to the Dacin bench for good with over three minutes remaining in the game on Tien's fifth foul of the game.
The game began with neither team being able to run its offense smoothly in a low-scoring first quarter, where the Tigers took a small 15-12 lead. Then awoke the famous Tigers three-point attack that erupted for 22 points in second quarter, including three three-pointers by point guard Wang Chih-chuin, this week's Player of the Week selection.
The sudden offensive surge by the Tigers did not intimidate the Hunters; instead, it triggered a counterattack by Videoland that started the second half with a 9-0 run.
Down by four midway through the third quarter, the Tigers answered the Hunters again with five more "threes" by Wang to regain a two-point lead by the end of the quarter, a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way.
Power forward Lee Chi-yi led the Hunters' attack with a 20-point night.
He was joined by five other teammates with 10 or more points for the game.
As for the Tigers, not even Wang's career-high 32 points in the game was enough for the win as an off night by Tien (13 points for the game compared to his 21-point season average prior to the contest) might have been the difference.
Taiwan Beer 100, YMY 84
Taiwan Beer did what any favored team was supposed to do against YMY in Friday's other game -- beat them and beat them big.
The beermen came out firing with top scorer Lin "The Beast" Chih-jeh sinking three of his first five shots as the brewers took a 20-16 first-quarter lead.
Several careless mistakes by the brew crew allowed YMY to get back into the game early in the second quarter with a 16-6 run, before Lin took control by ringing up a dozen points as Taiwan Beer ended the first half leading by a pair.
The second half was all Taiwan Beer as it exploited its height advantage, pounding the ball inside.
Lin led all scorers with a season high of 35 points, followed by guard Lee Wei-ming's 16 and Ha Hsiao-yuan's 11.
Rookie forward Chang Yu-lin led YMY with 29 points.
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