Many thought it wouldn't happen until after the Super Basketball League's all-star break in mid-February that the Sina Lions would break into the win column.
But the team that has lost three of its starters from last year's title-contending squad put together its best performance of the season to beat Taiwan Beer at the Taipei Physical Education College Gymnasium on Sunday for their first victory of the year by a final score of 84-78.
The game began with the big cats taking a 19-12 lead by the end of the first quarter before the beermen fought back, trailing the Lions by four at the half.
Inexperience and lack of poise by the young Lions' lineup would eventually hand the lead back to the beermen midway through the fourth, giving them a 71-66 edge, before point guard Luo Hsin-liang, power forward Liu Yi-shiang and reserve forward Lu Cheng-rue combined for four three's in the game's final four minutes to bag the victory for the Lions.
"I guess the win from last night [Taiwan Beer's come-from-behind, overtime win over the ETTV Antelopes on Saturday] took more out of us than I had thought," Taiwan Beer coach Yen Jia-hua said after the game.
"We really couldn't keep up with them late in the game."
Luo Hsin-liang's 21 points and 12 rebounds earned the Lions' veteran field general this week's Player of the Week honor.
"Hats off to all of my teammates, especially some of the younger guys, without whose help and tremendous growth in learning the game as we play along, it [the Player of the Week honor] would not be possible," Luo said after learning of his selection.
Tigers 79, Hunters 76
The Dacin Tigers' 26-point fourth quarter helped erase a three-point, third-quarter deficit against the league-leading Videoland Hunters for an impressive 79-76 win in Sunday's other game in Taipei.
Although the defeat is only the Hunters' fourth loss of the season, losing two in a row in the same week may trigger alarm bells for Hunters coach Chung Chih-mong.
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