Back-to-back triple-double outings by Jonathan Sanders earned the Pure Youth Construction forward this week’s Super Basketball League Player of the Week honor.
He earned his fourth weekly honor of the season for his 15 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists per game that led the Builders to two lopsided wins last week.
His on-court presence has also enabled his teammates to excel, which is why Pure Youth has won eight of their last nine to ascend from fifth place in the league standings to a three-way tie for second with the Yulon Luxgens and Taiwan Beer.
“He [Sanders] has definitely made our other guys play up to their potential with his leadership and on-court presence,” Pure Youth head coach Hsu Jin-tseh said.
His team will make their second straight postseason appearance in the playoffs after failing to make it in the three previous seasons.
“I’d like to thank my teammates for their support in making this possible. Without their help, we wouldn’t be where we are,” Sanders said after learning of his selection for the weekly honor.
Next up for the Builders are the Taiwan Mobile Leopards in what should be a physical game tomorrow afternoon before Sunday’s showdown against Taiwan Beer in a potential first-round matchup for the upcoming postseason.
Two more wins over the weekend should put Pure Youth on the fast track to a second-place finish, which they need if they are to avoid the top-seeded Dacin Tigers.
Update on the Beast
Former Taiwan Beer great Lin “the Beast” Chih-jeh greeted the local press in Taipei yesterday morning after a successful season with the Zhejiang Guangsha of China’s Chinese Basketball Association.
Even though he will not be eligible to take part in the remaining three regular-season games for Taiwan Beer due to an International Basketball Federation regulation that prohibits players playing in two different leagues during the same season, he could still be eligible for the postseason if all four of the teams can come to terms on the matter, according to the latest statement from league officials.
“I will respect whatever decision is ultimately made, even though it would be really disappointing if I couldn’t play this year,” Lin said.
He arrived in Taiwan earlier this week with a signed release form from Zhejiang Guangsha that was thought to make him eligible for play in the SBL.
Tonight’s Games
Launching this week’s play in the SBL will be a contest between the Leopards and Kinmen Liquor with tip-off scheduled for 6pm this evening at the Taipei Municipal Gymnasium before the night cap between the Bank of Taiwan and the Luxgens at 8pm.
Nothing would please Leopard skipper Cheng Chih-long more than a win over Kinmen Liquor as they play the spoilers’ role against the struggling Distillers, who have lost nine of their last dozen.
As for the game between the Bankers and the Luxgens, the Luxgens should be able to rest their starters a bit more than usual against the last-placed Bankers as they get ready for tomorrow’s highly anticipated battle against Taiwan Beer.
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