The second-placed Fubon Braves overcame a sluggish fourth quarter which saw them squander a double-digit lead and needed overtime to roll past top-ranked Pure Youth Construction 95-89 at the Sinjhuang Sports Complex in New Taipei City last night.
Chang Yu-lin redeemed himself for his costly turnover in regulation by scoring four of his team’s first eight points in the extra session to lead the Braves past the three-time defending champions.
“I didn’t have a chance to think about [the turnover] too much, I just wanted to do my job and help the team win,” Chang said after the game.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
It was his unsportsmanlike conduct in Saturday’s contest against Kinmen Kaoliang which cost his team the win, so he was not about to blow it for the second straight evening.
The loss not only nipped a four-game winning streak for the Builders, but it also reduced their lead over the Braves to only half a game as they settled for a 2-2 split in the season series, with one more matchup remaining on the schedule.
In a contest that featured several lead changes and huge swings, the Builders had the upper hand through two quarters of play to earn a 44-40 lead at halftime, but the Braves returned the favor and some by outscoring the Builders 27-12 in the third quarter to claim a double-digit advantage by the start of the fourth.
That called for an all-out rally by the Builders in the fourth in which they held the Braves to only nine points in a 20-9 scoring differential to force the game into the extra session, setting the stage for the Braves’ eventual victory.
Three players scored 20 points or more on the night for the Braves, led by Darian Townes’ game-high 22.
For the Builders, newcomer Garret Siler fouled out for the second straight game, making himself unavailable in the decisive overtime, when his absence was keenly felt.
Bank of Taiwan 70, Luxgens 56
Bank of Taiwan pulled off a minor upset against the Yulon Luxgens by outplaying the Automakers in every facet of the game to run away with a 70-56 triumph in New Taipei City yesterday afternoon.
Chen Hsuan-hsiang continued his red-hot shooting from long range by nailing four three-pointers in a 24-point outing to lead the Financial Wizards past the Luxgens. It was the second straight game that the pure shooter had gone over the 20-point scoring plateau.
Tigers 66, Taiwan Beer 60
The Dacin Tigers salvaged an otherwise disappointing weekend by topping Taiwan Beer 66-60 in the nightcap in New Taipei City.
The win was especially sweet for the Cats following their two-point loss to the Luxgens in overtime on Saturday night.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
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