Rookie guard Chen Shih-jeh's crafty steal and the ensuing lay-up with under a minute to play capped an amazing comeback rally to give YMY a 79-77 win over the previously unbeaten Videoland Hunters at the Taipei Physical Education College Gymnasium on Sunday.
Down by as many as 24 points in the third quarter, YMY played a near-perfect final 15 minutes to accomplish a mission impossible after the Hunters held a commanding 44-27 lead at the half.
While the Hunters could seem to do no wrong in a lopsided first half, YMY struggled with scoring in an inconsistent perimeter game.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SBL
The Hunters' lead hit 24 midway through the third quarter, when YMY turned up the defensive pressure with a full-court press.
The change led to turnovers, fast-break and scoring opportunities, resulting in a 22-point third quarter.
With the momentum on its side and fatigue from playing their second straight game in as many days taking its toll for the Hunters by then, YMY's Luo Hsin-liang hit a game-tying three-pointer with 45 seconds left to play, setting the stage for Chen's late-game heroics.
Four different YMY players scored in double-digits, led by Chen's 16 points, eight rebounds and four steals -- ?all game-highs for the rookie.
The Hunters appeared to have underestimated their opponents.
"There is no explanation for what happened out there," Hunters coach Chou Hai-rong said after the game. "They [YMY] simply wanted the game more than we did. It's a great lesson for us in terms of how quickly the game can change."
Taiwan Beer 83, Antelopes 74
Taiwan Beer ended the weekend 2-0 with an 83-74 victory over the ETTV Antelopes on Sunday.
Taiwan Beer played like a unit for the first time this season with a balanced attack that featured four players scoring 12 points of more.
Power forward Shang Wei-fang, the brew masters' big catch during the offseason, showed his former club his true worth by putting up a dozen points on offense and clogging up the middle on defense.
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