The top-seeded teams on Tuesday maintained their leads in the second round of the Super Basketball League playoffs, with the Fubon Braves dominating the Yulon Dinos 89-64 while Taiwan Beer fell to a 73-63 defeat to Pauian Archiland.
The starting trio of big center Charles Garcia flanked by forwards Tsai Wen-cheng and Tony Mitchell powered the Braves to a 41-22 lead at halftime at Banciao Stadium in New Taipei City.
They then cruised toward the finish with ease, with the trio cranking up the offense to each post a double-double.
Garcia, a Los Angeles native who played in the NBA Development League, posted 17 points to go with 14 rebounds. Tsai had 15 points and 12 rebounds, while former Detroit Piston Mitchell scored 17 points and secured 13 rebounds.
Tsai said after the game that he and his teammates were focused on playing good defense at the start to limit the Dinos in the early stages, which was the key to the victory.
Big center Walter Sharpe led Yulon in scoring, with the Alabama native also recording a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Forward Emanuel Jones of Washington state contributed 14 points and seven rebounds.
The Braves are determined to win the title this year, after finishing as runners-up last season and in second place in the regular season.
They now enjoy a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff series, after winning the opener 88-78 on Saturday last week, but failing to stop a Yulon rally in a close 99-96 fight on Sunday.
In the other series, defending champions Pauian Archiland got back into the competition with their win over top-seeded Taiwan Beer at Banciao Stadium.
Former NBA forward Orlando Johnson took care of business by netting 25 points to go with eight rebounds, while Wu Chia-chun chipped in with 12 points and three rebounds.
It was an important result for Pauian, as regular-season leaders Taiwan Beer had threatened a sweep by winning Game 1 88-76 and Game 2 86-72 over the weekend.
Entering the intermission trailing by 10 points, Pauian head coach Ben Metcalf said that the team’s veterans gave a rousing pep talk that helped them rally in the second half for the comeback win.
Game 4 of both series is today at Banciao Stadium, with the Dinos hosting the Braves at 6pm, followed by Pauian Archiland taking on Taiwan Beer at 8pm.
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