Alexus Foyle’s three-point play with 38.5 seconds remaining in the game gave the Dacin Tigers a 72-70 lead as Chang Chih-fong and Wang Chih-chuin converted a pair of free throws each in the closing seconds to lift their team past Taiwan Beer in a thrilling 76-73 win in Game 4 of the Championship Finals at the Sinjhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City last night.
The win not only denied Taiwan Beer a clean sweep of the Cats in the best-of-seven series, but also forced a Game 5 in Sinjhuang that is scheduled for 7pm tomorrow night.
“We played like there was no tomorrow; maybe that’s what it will take,” an emotional Chang said after the game.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
It was his two free throws with 9.8 seconds remaining in the game that gave the Tigers an insurmountable 74-70 lead.
“Someone with hot hands must rise to the occasion to carry us forth,” Chang said.
Another win by his team would extend the series to Game 6 on Saturday while a loss would give the Brew Crew the title and send the Tigers packing for the summer.
Trailing 0-3 in the series with their backs against the wall, the Tigers jumped to a quick 5-2 in the opening minutes of the contest, with Hsu Hao-cheng nailing a three-pointer and hired gun Foyle putting in an easy two from close range.
Taiwan Beer rolled off an 11-2 run to lead the Tigers 13-7 before Dacin returned the favor with a 9-0 run en route to a 21-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Tigers managed to lead it by as many as nine points in the second quarter, with Foyle leading the way with his eight points in the quarter, only to see the men in green answer with five straight points to close out the half trailing the Tigers by four (36-32).
Dacin upped its lead to six points in the third quarter, with Tien Lei and Chang combining for 13 of their 20 points in the quarter, only to see the Brew Crew tie the game at 45-all on Emmanuel Jones’ free throw before Yang Jing-min’s three-pointer gave Taiwan Beer its first lead since early in the first at 48-47 with under three minutes remaining in the third.
The two teams traded leads smaller than four over the next seven minutes of play before -Taiwan Beer led it 69-64 at the 2 minute, 40 second mark.
That was as close to victory as Taiwan Beer got as the Tigers came up with a decisive 12-4 run the rest of the way to clinch the win.
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