The Kaohsiung Aquas started the new year at the top of the T1 League standings, after they on Friday edged the visiting Taiwan Beer Herobears 114-113.
The Aquas improved their record to 5-1 at Kaohsiung Arena in the league’s final game of last year. The Taipei-based Herobears had a chance to overtake the Aquas atop the six-team league, but instead fell to 4-2.
Kaohsiung seemed poised for a relatively comfortable victory when they opened the fourth quarter with a 91-78 lead, but they had to sweat it out late.
Herobears forward Chu I-tsung sunk a three-pointer with less than three minutes left to narrow the home side’s lead to 108-104.
The Aquas stretched the lead to five when swingman Xavier Alexander sunk a free throw after being fouled under the basket, and after Chu missed a three-pointer, Aquas center Mindaugas Kupsas converted an offensive rebound to score and put his team up 111-104.
Herobears captain Chiang Yu-an tried to get his team back in the game when he pocketed three free throws after being fouled at a three-point attempt, pulling the margin back to four.
With Taipei fouling intentionally to try to get extra possessions, the Aquas simply needed to hit their free throws to keep the Herobears at bay.
Filipino-American playmaker Jason Brickman pushed the lead to six with two free throws, and while Chiang answered with another three-pointer to pull Taiwan Beer to within three, a free throw by Aquas forward Hu Long-mao in the final 10 seconds clinched the win.
Chu responded with a last-gasp three-pointer in the final seconds, but it only narrowed Kaohsiung’s margin of victory.
Brickman posted a double-double with 29 points and 10 assists, and also had six rebounds.
The Herobears’ Diamond Stone of the US led his side with 29 points and 12 rebounds.
In yesterday’s game, the New Taipei CTBC DEA beat the Taichung Wagor Suns 95-85 in Taichung.
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