Taking advantage of a crucial 17-4 run in the third quarter, the Dacin Tigers cruised to an 89-68 win over Taiwan Beer in Game 3 of the Championship Finals at the Taipei County Sports Complex in Sinjhuang on Sunday for their first win in the best-of-seven series.
Another loss by the Cats would have set the regular season champs three games behind and leave them open to a potentially embarrassing series sweep.
Instead, the Tigers awoke from a two-game sleep and roared their way back to victory by taming Lin “the Beast” Chih-jeh and Taiwan Beer in a game they never trailed.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
“It was a must-win for us and I’m glad our guys were able to rise to the occasion,” Dacin skipper Chiou Da-tsung said after the game.
Chang Chih-fong carried his red-hot shooting the night before into Sunday’s contest by netting 10 of the Tigers’ 29 first-quarter points to leave them up by five at the break.
Taiwan Beer mustered several small runs in the second quarter to keep the Tigers from gaining a double-digit lead for a 49-44 score at half-time.
That was as long as Taiwan Beer managed to hang with Dacin. The Tigers came out firing early in the second half, with a devastating 17-4 run to take a commanding 18-point lead.
Even though Taiwan Beer rallied to reduce the deficit to 10, it was too little too late and the outcome of the game was never in doubt.
An outstanding effort by the Tigers off the glass was key to the victory, with Dacin enjoying 40 rebounds to Beer’s 21, including 16 offensive boards.
A great defensive effort by Dacin’s Lin Yi-hui kept the Beast scoreless in the second half — also critical in the win.
The two teams will take a much-needed five-day break before play resumes on Friday at the Taipei County Sports Complex in Sinjhuang.
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