Chou Shih-yuan’s baseline-jumper with time running out in the overtime broke a 74-all tie to give the Yulon Luxgens a 76-74 win against previously undefeated Pure Youth Constructions at the New Taipei City Sports Complex in Sinjhuang last night.
It was a big win for the Luxgens not only because it helped avoid what would have been consecutive losses for the defending champs, but more importantly nipped a three-game winning streak for the Builders, who nearly pulled off mission impossible by overcoming a double-digit deficit in the fourth to force the game into overtime.
“All the focus was on A-ding (Tseng Wen-ding) for the final shot, so I was able to get open for the shot instead … I’m glad it fell in for me,” Chou said after the game. The shooting guard saved his best for last after going scoreless in the second half to lift his club past a diehard Pure Youth squad that simply refused to go away.
Yulon took advantage of the absence of Pure Youth guard James Mao (out with a flu) by taking a 23-12 lead in the opening quarter, courtesy of three quick turnovers that it forced which led to a half-dozen fast break points.
However, Pure Youth would regroup in a hurry by playing the four-time champs shoulder-to-shoulder over the next two quarters before going on a 12-2 run of its own in the fourth quarter to fall within one of the Luxgens.
A pair of free throws by Chien Jia-hong would give Pure Youth its first lead of the game at 63-62 with under two minutes to play in regulation time before the two teams traded leads smaller than three to settle with a 64-all after 40 hard minutes of play, setting the stage for Chou’s overtime heroics.
Pure Youth had several chances to win it in overtime with Chien and Hong Chih-shan connecting on three’s to lead it by two on two different occasions.
However, Yulon would have the last laugh as Chou calmly nailed the game-winner to seal the victory in the end.
TIGERS 86, KAOLIANG LIQUOR 72
Double-double efforts by Tien Lei and Keith Gayden paved the way as the Dacin Tigers downed Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor 86-72 in the first game yesterday afternoon to give the Tigers their first win of the season.
Neither team started the contest on a good footing as they combined for eight turnovers in a low-scoring first quarter that saw the Tigers led it 11-9.
Three different Kinmen Kaoliang players scored at least 20 points in the match, led by Shang Wei-fan’s game-high 28. It was still not enough to secure Kinmen Kaoliang’s first win of the season as they fell to a dismal 0-4 mark, dead last in the standings.
LEOPARDS 59 TAIWAN BEER 73
Taiwan Beer maintained its winning way by topping the Taiwan Mobile Leopards 73-59 in the weekend finale late last night.
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