MACAU, March 10 ------ The unofficial tag as best Asian basketball club went to a team from Japan as the Hiroshima Dragonflies outlasted the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, 72-68, to bag the East Asia Super League crown at the Studio City Event Center.
The Dragonflies gave up a late lead, but held on behind a clutch jumper from Dwayne Evans to put an end to the Pilots’ Cinderella run in their maiden EASL season. The Dragonflies of the Japan B.League averted a Chinese Taipei sweep of sweep of Japanese teams after New Taipei beat Ryukyu in the battle for third earlier. Hiroshima took home the grand prize of US$1 million, while Taoyuan settled for the US$500,000 runner-up prize.
The Dragonflies, Kai Sotto’s first team in Japan, added the EASL championship to their trophy case in the middle of the reign as B.League titlists. Evans was named season MVP after finishing with 18 points, 11 boards, four assists, three blocks, and one steal in over 34 minutes. The 33-year-old American import saved his best for last when he scored the marginal basket that made it 69-68 with 25 seconds left after Treveon Graham went on a personal 5-0 run to give Taoyuan the lead momentarily. “It’s been a grind,” Evans said. “The schedule, dealing with injuries, it’s been so up-and-down, but to have everyone play so hard and play so well today and pull this off is incredible.”
Kerry Blackshear Jr. added 13 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists, while Keijiro Mitani was the other Hiroshima player who scored in twin digits with 10 points, three boards, and one steal. Lu Chun-Hsiang showed the way for the Pilots and proved why he’s one of the best locals in the EASL with a game-high 20 points on 9-of-9 shooting from the foul line, three boards, one assist, and one steal. Graham added 16 points, the last two on a pullup jumper that gave them a 68-67 lead and capped five unanswered points with 1:18 remaining, before Evans restored order for the Dragonflies.
Source: spin.ph
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