Defending champions the Taipei Fubon Braves routed the Hsinchu Jko Lioneers by more than 20 points in Game 2 of the P.League+ Finals on Monday night to tie the series 1-1.
The Braves, winners of the 2020-2021 inaugural season of Taiwan’s professional basketball league, overpowered the Lioneers 102-81 in the second game of their best-of-seven series.
Leading for most of the game at the Hsinchu County Stadium — in front of 7,200 spectators — the Braves were able to establish a comfortable lead of 62-41 by halftime.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Dominating in rebounds and shooting, the Taipei-based team charged ahead to pocket the win.
Braves forward Mike Singletary, Most Valuable Player (MVP) of last season’s Final series, led all scorers with a double-double of 33 points and 18 rebounds, including shooting five of five from the free-throw line.
Lioneers center Sim Bhullar, the league’s MVP for April, led his team with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
After the game, Singletary said his team had made every effort to keep up their defense and offense, because their opponents were a talented team looking for opportunities to turn the tables.
“Tonight, we kind of wanted to put a stranglehold on the game, take care of business, not let them come back, because they are a good team over there and they’ll keep fighting until the end,” he said.
The Braves had needed to place Game 1 in more of a “stranglehold,” as the Lioneers pulled off a 102-101 victory on Saturday.
Known as one of the most prolific players in the league, Singletary said the Finals are when he needs to step up and lead the Braves.
“It’s the Finals. This is the time we all dream about playing as kids: playing for a championship, playing for a trophy, playing for your team and playing for your fans,” Singletary said.
With the series tied, the Finals are to continue with Game 3 at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium tomorrow.
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