February 13 ------ THE New Taipei Kings battled their way back from the grave to frustrate the visiting Meralco Bolts in a thrilling 106-96 win in double overtime to clinch the last Final Four berth of the East Asia Super League (EASL) Home and Away Season 2 at the University of Taipei. Former NBA player Austin Daye led the home team’s rally from nine points down in the fourth quarter that paved the way for the two extra period.
The Kings then went on a 9-0 blitz in the second OT to finally take the fight out of the Bolts, who led by as many as 72-63 in the final seven minutes of regulation. With the win, the Kings completed the Season 2 Final Four cast joining the Ryukyu Golden Kings in Group B and the Hiroshima Dragonflies and Taoyuan Pilots in Group A. The semifinals is set on March 7-9 in Macau.
The loss was a heartbreaker for the Bolts, who also failed to advance in the PBA Commissioner's Cup semifinals after losing to the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their sudden-death game in the quarterfinals, 94-87, last Sunday. It appeared Meralco had the game wrapped up against New Taipei as it led 72-63 with seven minutes left in the game. But Daye, a first round pick of Detroit in the 2009 draft and later won an NBA championship with San Antonio in 2014, came alive down the stretch and hit several clutch baskets including a three pointer that sent the game into overtime, 78-all.
All seemed lost for Meralco in the first extra period when it trailed 91-87 in the final nine seconds. Chris Newsome however, was fouled by the Kings and sent to the free throw line. The veteran guard sank the first foul shot and then intentionally missed the second, with Ange Kouame securing the rebound. Aaron Black missed a three pointer, but Jansen Rios got the ball back and hit a tough three at the buzzer to send the game into second overtime. Saki Sakakini led New Taipei with 31 points and 12 rebounds, Daye had 24, and Joseph Lin finished with 19, sparking the nine straight unanswered points by the home team in the second overtime. DJ Kennedy finished with 21, Newsome had 17, Mitchell and Quinto with 15 each, while Rios and Cliff Hodge were also in double figures with 11 and 10, respectively.
The scores
New Taipei 106 – Sakakini 31, Daye 24, Lin 19, Manigault 19, Chen 0, Chien 0, Lu 0, Su 0, Hung 0, Lin CP 0.
Meralco 96 – Kennedy 21, Newsome 17, Mitchell 15, Quinto 15, Rios 11, Hodge 10, Black 5, Kouame 2, Cansino 0, Banchero 0.
Quarters 24-25; 42-44; 57-67; 78-78 (reg); 91-91 (1st OT); 106-96
Source: spin.ph
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