Averaging nearly 22 points a game in three games last week, Chen Hsuan-hsiang earned the nod from members of the National Basketball Writers’ Association as Player of the Week in the Super Basketball League.
The Fu Jen Catholic University product, who began his career with Jeou Tai Technology in 2003 and has since become an icon for Bank of Taiwan, won the weekly honor for the second time this season.
Even though the Bankers are a long way from the top of the ladder with a 7-14 mark and in sixth place, Chen’s leadership and steady offensive production from the perimeter are the main reasons that the Financial Wizards have already exceeded their win total of five from all of last season.
“I’d like to thank the coaches and the front office for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to play,” Chen said after learning of his selection for the award. “It is not easy for someone who has been around since the inaugural season to see as much floor time as I have recently.”
Being one of just a few members of the young Bankers’ team to have played post-season games, Chen is excited about his team’s chances of playing in the new playoff format that caters for six teams instead of four.
“It is great to be selected as the Player of the Week, but it would be even better if we made it into the post-season, because it is a whole new deal,” Chen said.
In tonight’s games, top-ranked Pure Youth Construction face last-place Dacin Tigers in a David-versus-Goliath battle, giving the Cats a chance to show what they are made of against the three-time defending champions.
Norvel Pelle will need every pound and every inch on him to counter the Builders’ newly arrived Garret Siler, who has at least a 40kg weight advantage. With top spot in the standings still up for grabs, Pure Youth will be eyeing a win with the Braves lurking not too far behind.
In the second game, Taiwan Beer will have more than their record to play for as they put their pride on the line against Kinmen Kaoliang, who stole one from them in their previous meeting on Jan. 2 by three points.
Last night’s results:
‧ Bank of Taiwan 64, Braves 59
‧ Taiwan Beer 83, Luxgens 67
SEESAW CONTEST: The Pistons remain top of the Eastern Conference after battling to a win over the Hawks in a game that saw the lead change 27 times The Phoenix Suns on Monday shrugged off an injury to Devin Booker to end the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-game winning streak with an emphatic 125-108 victory on the road. Booker exited in the first quarter, but the loss of the star point guard did little to halt the flow of Phoenix points over the remainder of the game. Dillon Brooks led the Phoenix scoring with 33 points, while Collin Gillespie added 28 — including eight three-pointers — as the Suns romped to victory. The Lakers were left ruing a colossal 22 turnovers — at a cost of 32 Suns points — on a
New Zealand yesterday reached 231-9 at stumps on a first day of the first Test against the West Indies shortened by rain after Justin Greaves triggered a middle-order collapse with the wicket of Kane Williamson. New Zealand tumbled from 94-1 to 148-6 on a bowler-friendly wicket after Williamson was dismissed for 52, his 38th Test half-century. Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith arrested the slide with a 52-run stand for the seventh wicket. Smith eventually fell for 23 and Bracewell for 47. After Matt Henry went for 8, Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy were both on 4 when bad light stopped play after 70
Robin Smith, the batter who shone for England in a period when it was beaten regularly in Test cricket, has died. He was 62. Smith’s family said in a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that he died unexpectedly at his home in Perth, Australia, on Monday. No cause was given. He played 62 Tests for England from 1988 to 1996, scoring 4,236 runs at an average of 43.67 with nine centuries. His signature shot was the square cut. Smith also played in 71 one-day internationals and was part of England’s squad who reached the 1992 ICC World Cup final. His unbeaten
SSC Napoli on Sunday joined AC Milan at the top of Serie A after winning 1-0 at title rivals AS Roma, as Inter kept pace with the leading pair by beating Pisa SC 2-0. David Neres stroked home the only goal of a feisty game in the 36th minute at the Stadio Olimpico, ending a blistering counterattack with a calm finish which put Napoli on 28 points. Napoli are behind Milan on goal-difference, and just one point ahead of both Roma and Inter in a tight scudetto battle in which Antonio Conte’s team are to host Juventus at the weekend. “To come to
RSS