Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) The T1 LEAGUE defending champions the Kaohsiung Aquas defeated the Taipei-based TaiwanBeer HeroBears in a 111-101 thriller on Saturday, in what was a special win for Aquas head coach Brendan Joyce.
Joyce, a former Olympic Australian Opals and Boomers coach, said at the post-game press conference at University of Taipei's Tianmu campus gym that he was notified yesterday of the passing of a friend, who had served as his assistant coach for 15 years in Australia.
Touting Eric Lowe as the "best assistant coach" he ever had, Joyce said Lowe loved to coach kids and that reflected his dedication to developing basketball at the grassroots level.
"I was quite driven tonight to make sure, with him looking down, that we get a win for him," Joyce said.
Joyce also commended his players for their determination to win, which he said made him proud as their coach.
The Aquas were trailing by three points 23-20 at the end of the first quarter but managed to take the lead 54-50 by halftime.
The team extended their lead 84-75 in the fourth quarter, before the HeroBears shot to trail by only two points 99-97 after point guard Tsai Xun-xiang (曹薰襄) delivered a layup and an and-one under the basket, with 3 minutes and 46 seconds left in the game.
With the clock ticking down, Aquas center Mindaugas Kupsas led the way with a 12-4 team run to propel the team to 111-101 before the final buzzer.
Kupsas led all scorers with a double-double of 33 points and 10 rebounds, while HeroBears forward Branden Dawson led his team with 27 points and 10 rebounds.
With that win, the defending champions Aquas are now second in the six-team league's standings, with a 2-1 record, while the HeroBears are fifth after losing their first game of the season.
DEA stay on top
Also on Saturday in the T1 LEAGUE, the New Taipei CTBC DEA beat the Tainan TSG GhostHawks 107-104 at Chia Nan University of Pharmacy & Science's Shao Tsung Gymnasium in Tainan.
CTBC DEA small forward Mohammad Al Bachir Gadiaga, known to local fans as "Abbasi" (阿巴西) led the scorers with 28 points and 12 rebounds, while GhostHawks center Samuel Deguara recorded 27 points and seven rebounds.
With the win, the DEA remain at the top of the T1 LEAGUE standings with a 3-1 record, while the GhostHawks are at the bottom with two losses.
Dreamers opening win in new P. LEAGUE+ season
Meanwhile, the Formosa Taishin Dreamers outhustled the Kaohsiung 17LIVE Steelers 84-76 at Taichung Intercontinental basketball dome on Saturday in their first game of the season.
Dreamers forward Malcolm Miller recorded a game high of 30 points and 14 rebounds, while Steelers forward Olufemi Anthony Olujobi led his team with 22 points and 14 rebounds.
The Dreamers will next play the Braves at Taichung Intercontinental basketball dome on Sunday, while the Steelers will face the Hsinchu Jko Lioneers at Hsinchu County Stadium on Nov. 19.
Kings overpower Pilots
The New Taipei Kings on Saturday outplayed the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots 104-91 at Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei in their first game this season.
Kings center Byron Mullens led all scorers with 27 points and 16 rebounds, while Pilots center Jason Washburn led his team with 25 points and seven rebounds.
The Kings will next play the Hsinchu Jko Lioneers at Xinzhuang Gymnasium on Sunday, while the Pilots will play the Dreamers in Taichung on Nov. 20.
