Taiwan’s P.League+ professional basketball league is expanding its playoffs to four teams after adding two teams to the league in the off-season.
The top four teams in the six-team league are to make the playoffs, with the first and fourth-placed teams, and second and third-placed teams facing off in a best-of-five series to determine the finalists, the league told a news conference in Taipei on Monday.
In its inaugural 2020-2021 season, when the league had four teams, the second and third-placed teams played a best-of-five series, with the winners taking on the first-placed team in the finals.
Photo: CNA
New to the league this year are the New Taipei Kings, led by general manager James Mao, a former Taiwanese national team star.
Mao said one of the Kings’ goals is to improve the basketball environment in Taiwan.
“We are honored to join the league in its second season, and we hope to bring more resources to the league and to Taiwanese basketball. We will try our hardest to help basketball in Taiwan get better and better,” Mao said.
The Kaohsiung Steelers are the other new edition, led by general manager Yosuke Chang.
Born and raised in Kaohsiung, Chang has 15 years of marketing experience and is hoping top players in the country will join his team.
“We have our sights set on two to three players who have national team experience, and they will soon join our team,” Chang said.
P.League+ founder and chief executive Blackie Chen said that in addition to providing exciting games, he has a responsibility to craft a stable basketball league that shows potential.
The new season is to begin in Taipei on Dec. 4, with defending champions the Taipei Fubon Braves facing last season’s runners-up, the Formosa Taishin Dreamers.
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