Kaohsiung:Grant Basile scored a remarkable 37 points to lead the Kaohsiung Aquas to a 132-121 victory over the Taipei Taishin Mars in their Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL) home opener.
According to Focus Taiwan, Basile's performance included a team-high 10 points in the fourth quarter. He shot 13-for-20 from the field, making six of his 12 attempts from three-point range, and contributed 13 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. This game marked the third consecutive time Basile has scored over 30 points this season.
Kaohsiung's transition game was a key factor in their win, generating 41 fast-break points compared to Taipei's seven. The Aquas also outscored the Mars 60-46 in the paint. Aquas wing Su Wen-ju highlighted the team's strategy of playing fast and applying intense pressure, which was executed effectively by their imports.
Other notable contributions for Kaohsiung came from Rosco Allen, who scored 26 points along with 11 assists and seven rebounds, and Gabriel Galvanini, who added 23 points and 11 rebounds. The team built a 73-59 lead by halftime and extended their advantage early in the third quarter. Despite a strong comeback by Taipei, which tied the game at 92-92 entering the final quarter, Kaohsiung regained control with Basile's performance in the fourth.
Adam Hinton, the top pick in this year's TPBL draft, also made a significant impact by scoring 11 points, including a dunk just seven seconds into the game.
Benson Lin led Taipei with 26 points, seven assists, five steals, and four rebounds. With this victory, Kaohsiung improved to a 2-1 record after finishing last season with a 9-27 record, while Taipei lost its season opener.
Source Focus Taiwan