As teams in the Super Basketball League (SBL) take a two-week break, Chien Yi-fei (
The Sina Lions and BCC Mars, on the other hand, have decided to use the time to recover from nagging injuries.
Dacin Tigers Coach Liu Chiia-fa (劉佳發) has also mandated a daily conditioning program for his players.
Taiwan Beer Coach Fu Ming-ren (
The Jeoutai Elephants have learned that their three 5km runs per week might have been the difference in their two key victories over the Tigers, and will continue to run over the holiday, while Bank of Taiwan will hit the weight room in an effort to add some strength to their game.
But the top teams have won with defense, not pushups.
While the Dinos have kept opponents to under 72 points per game in their 11-0 streak, the Sina Lions have won seven straight with their league-leading pressure defense that has held the opposition to less than 70 points per match and forced nearly 10 turnovers per contest.
Having dropped over three points (from 74.7 to 71.4 points per game) in total team defense since early December, the Dinos have found success by blanketing key offensive threats.
Since losing their first three to open the season at 0-3, the Lions have used a tenacious "D" to help build a reputation as the toughest team to score against. Second only to the Dinos, the Lions have outscored their opponents by an average margin of six points.
Realizing their weakness in overall team speed, the Lions should be lauded for their ability to get back on defense, control the tempo of the game, and not run into a shooting match against younger opponents.
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38