The Fubon Braves on Thursday clinched the Super Basketball League (SBL) title in a four-game sweep after defeating Taiwan Beer 103-91 at the Sinjhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, as the team celebrate their first-ever championship trophy.
It was not an easy task, as Taiwan Beer have played in six finals in the SBL’s 16-year history, winning four in 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2016.
Following their victory, Fubon Braves owner Chris Tsai announced that he would disburse more than NT$10 million (US$323,018) in bonuses and rewards to players and staff for their season-long effort.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
“This is our team’s first championship, we are proud of this accomplishment,” Tsai said. “It will give us the will and energy to bolster Taiwan’s basketball environment, and we hope to win more titles in the coming years.”
Tsai added that he had not slept well in the past week due to the pressure and travel to Kaohsiung, but the burden has been lifted, and he now feels elated.
Team officials also announced that the team would go to Hawaii for a year-end vacation, a decision reached after a player vote.
The finals series started on Saturday last week in Kaohsiung, with Fubon edging Taiwan Beer 85-83 in a thrilling finish, followed by a more decisive 83-78 triumph on Sunday.
Riding their momentum and a return home to New Taipei City, the Braves on Tuesday beat Taiwan Beer 87-78, then blasted past the century mark for a 12-point margin of victory on Thursday for the title.
In Game 4, US-born Belizean forward Charles Garcia posted a double-double with 37 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, while Joseph Lin, younger brother of NBA star Jeremy Lin, netted the team’s second-highest at 17 points.
Four of their teammates also scored in double digits, including US forward Tony Mitchell with 12 points and seven rebounds, and guard Lai Ting-en with 12 points and five rebounds from the bench.
Head coach Hsu Chin-che said that his players had learned from past mistakes and stayed focused.
“Even when we led the series, we continued to concentrate and battled on to prevent a reversal... I want this team to stay together. We can win more titles,” he said.
Garcia was named finals MVP after averaging 22.4 points throughout the series.
“This is the first championship trophy in my career and it is the best gift for myself. It’s been a fantastic year with the birth of my daughter, together with the title and the finals MVP,” Garcia said. “Hsu is a great head coach; I want to play for his team wherever he goes in the future.”
Jeremy Lin congratulated his brother on Instagram.
“Congrats on the championship!! SOOO proud of my lil bro!” he wrote. “Came into the SBL as a 140lb undersized college grad but kept working amidst the doubt and criticism. Always being labeled ‘Jeremys little brother.’ But God has truly blessed you so much over these four years: 4x All Star, 2x SBL Assist Leader, Rookie of the Year, First Team All League and now CHAMPION!!”
Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and partner Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia yesterday advanced to the women’s doubles final at the Australian Open after defeating New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe and Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-3 in their semi-final. Hsieh has won nine Grand Slam doubles titles and has a shot at a 10th tomorrow, when the Latvian-Taiwanese duo are to play Taylor Townsend of the US and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic in the championship match at the A$96.5 million (US$61 million) outdoor hard court tournament at Melbourne Park. Townsend and Siniakova eliminated Russian pair Diana Shnaider and Mirra Andreeva 6-7
Manchester City have reached do-or-die territory in the UEFA Champions League earlier than expected ahead of what Pep Guardiola has described as a “final” against Club Brugge today. City have disproved the suggestion a new format to Europe’s top club competition would remove any jeopardy for the top clubs as Guardiola stares down the barrel of failing to make the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in his career. The English champions have endured a torrid season both in their English Premier League title defense and on the continent. A run of one win in 13 games, which included Champions League
Things are somewhat out of control at the Australian Open this year, and that has only a little to do with the results on the courts. Yes, there were some upsets, including Madison Keys eliminating No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the women’s singles semi-finals on Thursday. It also was the first time since 1990 that three teenagers beat top-10 men’s seeds at a Grand Slam tennis tournament. The loser of one of those matches, Daniil Medvedev, got fined US$76,000 for behaving badly. Last year’s women’s singles runner-up exited in the first round. However, the real fuss is happening elsewhere. The rowdy fans, for one
The CTBC Brothers from Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) on Friday announced they reached an agreement with the team’s shortstop Chiang Kun-yu (江坤宇) to extend his contract by 10 years in a deal that could worth up to NT $147.88 million (US$4.5 million). Including a NT$10 million incentive bonus, the 24-year- old’s new contract stipulates that his monthly salary will be NT$660,000 starting this year, increasing to NT$1.2 million from the fifth year of the deal. Chiang’s new agreement also comes with a caveat in the form of a “player option” where he would have the choice to become a free
RSS