The Kaohsiung Aquas are preparing to “take care of business” to secure a T1 League playoff spot, head coach Brendan Joyce said on Sunday, after the team beat the New Taipei CTBC DEA 123-92.
The Aquas, who are leading the six-team league with 19 wins and six losses, have five games left in the regular season, and are likely to solidify their position at the top of the T1 if they win their back-to-back games this weekend.
On Saturday, they are to host the Tainan TSG Ghosthawks before facing the Taoyuan Leopards on Sunday; both teams are at the bottom of the rankings, having only secured five wins each.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Going into those games expecting easy wins would be a mistake for Kaohsiung, Joyce said.
“That’s my focus, to make sure the team doesn’t disrespect those teams. If we respect them, we will take care of business; if we don’t, and disrespect them, there could be an upset loss,” Joyce said.
With teams picking up import players in the past few weeks, the Aquas could expect to face more formidable opponents, the veteran Australian coach said.
The Ghosthawks recently added naturalized Indonesian power forward Lester Prosper, while the Leopards enlisted American center Elijah Thomas.
“We will focus on what we need to do to beat those two teams, because if you look at the Leopards and the GhostHawks, if you don’t respect them, they will beat you,” Joyce said.
Just hours after his comments, the Ghosthawks upset the league’s No. 3 team, the Taiwan Beer Herobears, beating them 122-109 in Taipei.
Also vying for the top spot are the Taichung Wagor Suns, who are ranked second with a 15-9 record and also have five more games remaining in the regular season.
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