The Yulon Luxgens topped the Super Basketball League (SBL) ladder in the season-ending decider this week, as first-round playoffs get started today at the Taoyuan Arena.
The Luxgens had 19 wins and 11 losses, just ahead of Pure Youth Construction this season, who finished second with 18-12.
The Luxgens and the Builders on Tuesday played a make-up match postponed from January due to water leakage at Taoyuan Arena.
The Luxgens’ Australian import Luke Nevill combined with forward Hu Kai-hsiang to net 15 points each, with three teammates scoring double digits to defeat the Builders 81-73 at Sinjhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City.
Kinmen Kaoliang were third on the ladder with a 16-14 record, the Dacin Tigers and Fubon Braves were tied at fourth with 15-15 and Taiwan Beer trailed with 12-18.
Bank of Taiwan were eliminated, ending with 10 wins and 20 defeats.
The Tigers are today to take on the Fubon Braves, while Kinmen face Taiwan Beer.
Meanwhile, the Tigers could not defeat Kinmen this season, with the Distillers proving too tough in their final encounter this season with a 90-83 victory.
Tigers center Sim Bhullar received two technical fouls and was ejected in the third quarter for arguing with referees.
Bhullar has been fined NT$10,000 and banned from playing in the first playoff match.
After the game, Bhullar said that Kinmen players grabbed him and roughed him up, showing reporters bruises on his arms.
“Bhullar plays with a good attitude and he does not have a volatile temper. People can see the bruises on his arms,” Tigers head coach Fang Keng-hsiang said.
“Bhullar was forced into arguing with referees that fouls should be called on Kinmen players, but they misunderstood his intention,” Fang said, adding that he has filed a complaint with league officials and a request that the incident be investigated.
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