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Antelopes upset Taiwan Beer to cap great comeback

Huang Bao-tsu's game-turning 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds remaining capped a valiant fourth-quarter comeback as the ETTV Antelopes topped Taiwan Beer in an 85-83 upset win at the Taipei Physical Education College Gymnasium on Saturday evening.

Trailing by one in the game's closing seconds, the veteran shooting guard was able to free himself from a Taiwan Beer defender and calmly nailed the game-winner to give his club a much needed victory.

"I try not to think to much when I am out there, even though it's hard not to ? But I am glad I was able to help the team win it in the end," Huang said after the game.

The win was the best greeting gift that the Antelopes could offer to returning center Wu Dai-hao, who had left the team after the 2004-2005 season to pursue a college career in the US. He was limited to a dozen points and 11 rebounds in the game in a reserve role because he had practiced only once with his new mates since arriving in Taiwan on Thursday.

The contest began with the Antelopes taking a 20-17 lead after the opening quarter against a slow-starting Taiwan Beer lineup.

But that would change in a hurry during the second quarter as Taiwan Beer scoring threat Lin "the Beast" Chih-jeh erupted for 10 points of his game-high 28 points in the quarter to help his team claim a 42-39 advantage at the half.

Another 10-point outburst by the Beast in the third quarter would help Taiwan Beer build up leads as large as 12 points before the Antelopes regrouped to fight back to keep the deficit at six (69-63) heading into the fourth quarter.

Wu's turn-around jumper off the glass with less than two minutes left in the game tied it at 79 before Taiwan Beer's Luo "the Natural" Hsin-liang hit his third three in the game at the 11.7 second mark to make it 83-82 in favor of the beer crew, setting the stage for Huang's thunderous game-clincher.

Five different Antelopes players scored in double digits on the night with big man Delvin Thomas leading the way with 22 points and Huang and fellow small forward Cheng Ren-wei pitching in 13 more apiece.

As for the beer crew, failure to secure the defensive glass that resulted in 15 offensive rebounds for the Antelopes proved too much for the men in green to overcome.

Hunters 96, Dinos 93

The Yulon Dinos suffered their second straight defeat in as many days on Saturday evening with a tough 96-93 loss to the Videoland Hunters despite a courageous 33-point effort from team leader Chen "Airman" Hsin-an.

For only the second time this season, the defending champs have lost two in a row to settle for a 15-6 record, even though they still hold a half-game lead over second-place Taiwan Beer in the latest standings.

Failure to protect the defensive glass was the culprit in the Dinos' disappointing loss as they allowed an unprecedented 19 offensive rebounds to the Hunters on a 48-rebound night, making it virtually impossible to win. Their lone offensive rebound in the game on the other end of the floor also was a record low in a game where they were out-muscled and out-hustled the entire way.

After the Hunters opened the game with a 26-18 lead at the end of the first quarter, the Dinos were able to muster one real offensive push in the game in a 29-point second quarter to close out the first half leading 47-45.

That was the extent that they were in the game because the Hunters would return from the halftime intermission with a different offensive scheme that helped to build leads as large as a dozen in the second half.

However, the Dinos rallied to close within a point of the Hunters to make it 92-91 with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

It took a basket by Hunter forward Lee Chi-yi and a called foul on the shot in what turned out to be a three-point play to keep the Dinos from advancing further in the eventual loss.

The Dinos were forced to foul the Hunters late in the game in the interest of preserving time on the clock. The strategy nearly worked as the Hunters missed seven of their final eight free throws to keep the Dinos' hopes alive until the very end.

Bank of Taiwan 86, Tigers 103

Troubles continued for Bank of Taiwan in Saturday's match against the Dacin Tigers, who easily beat them 103-86 for their third win in five games.

Unable to find a leader who can take charge on the floor, not to mention an inability to sustain any kind of flow offensively, the bankers have lost seven straight and counting, mathematically eliminating them from the playoffs.

The Tigers took a 19-9 lead after the first quarter and never looked back on a night that saw them score at will.

Five different Tigers players scored in double digits in the game, with Chang Chih-fong pouring in 26 points and Tien Lei 21.
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