Song Yu-hsuan netted a season-high 31 points to help Kinmen Liquor stun the playoff-bound Taiwan Mobile Cloud Leopards in a 72-68 victory at the National Taiwan University of Physical Education and Sport Gymnasium in Greater Taichung last night to close out an otherwise disappointing season on a high note.
Despite knowing that their season was over after the game with the playoff fixtures already set, the Distillers still displayed tremendous resilience and a strong desire to win as they took a quick lead, lost it, but then rallied in the final two minutes to regain the advantage for good.
Besides Song’s career night at the office, the Distillers also got a clutch blocked-shot from hired gun Aaron Pettway in the closing seconds of the game to deny what seemed certain to be a game-tying layup by the Leopards. Even though Pettway was well short of his season scoring average of 14.3 points yesterday, with just 10, the American big man more than earned his paycheck with his strong inside presence.
Kinmen Liquor’s win marked their 12th of the season, a three-game improvement on their 2012-2013 campaign record.
TAIWAN BEER 91, PURE YOUTH 72
Taiwan Beer made it two wins in a row on the final weekend of regular-season play by trouncing Pure Youth Construction in Greater Taichung last night following Saturday’s 75-69 triumph over Bank of Taiwan.
With his team’s post-season fate already determined and more than a week of rest under his belt, Patrick O’Bryant got the green light from skipper Yen Chia-hua to work on his “long game” with a season-high 15 three-point attempts on the night.
The US center converted five from downtown to add to his seven two-pointers and tie a season high of 34 points.
All five starters scored in double-digits for Taiwan Beer in a game they shot nearly 50 percent from the field against a Builders defense that was missing All-Star center Quincy Davis, who had the day off.
Davis’ absence proved critical for the regular-season champs as they were unexpectedly out-rebounded by the Brew Crew and were clearly missing the 16 points that head coach Hsu Chin-che can usually count on the American to score.
Taiwan Beer opened the game with a 24-19 lead in the first quarter and kept the cushion at five in an evenly fought second to end the first half with a 40-35 advantage.
That was as close as the Builders got, as Taiwan Beer pulled off an 11-2 run to open the third quarter and steadily added to their winning margin en route to a blowout win.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
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Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
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