They look like an Old-Timers team, but they're not. Australia's Great Mates upset South Korea, 83-69, tonight at Tainan, a mid-sized city in southern Taiwan. SINA also beat Japan NT 77-68 to win its second straight. SINA and Australia are now on the top of the standings with 2-0.
Led by former Isuzu Gigacats(JBL, Japan) head coach Tom Wisman, Great Mates frustrated Korean's three-point attack with another strong inside-outside game. With Trau Lindsiran unstoppable from the perimeter and Willie Simmons working inside, Great Mates won the game easily. Lindsiran led with 21 points and Simmons had 15 points.
SINA see-saw with Japan throughout the whole game, but they switched the momentum with a 7-0 spurt in the start of the 4th quarter and never relinguish the lead after that. For the second consecutive game, SINA received great help from players borrowed from other A-League teams. Shan Wei-fan, loaned from Jutai Tech, had 12 points. SG
Yang Che-yi, originally from BCC Mars, had 10 points.
Japan was led by SG Kan Yuichi's one-man offense. Yuichi had a team-high 17 points.
In Taipei, Philippines defeated Russia 78-68 in its debut. Clinging to a one-point lead, Philippines had a 26-17 4th quarter rally to seal the win. MBA All-Star Reynel Hungatan scored game-high 17 points on 6-10 shooting. Russia was led by 7-foot center Denis Sevastianov's 16 points and 13 rebounds.
*Game Summary
(@Cheng-kung Univ., Tainan)
Australia 83-69 South Korea
Aus - Trau Lindsiran 21p(8-12, 3-5 3PT), Chris Brown 16p, Willie Simmons 15p(7-11)+9rb
Kor - Sun Gyu-wan 29p, Hoon Joo-yup 20p
SINA 77-68 Japan
SINA - Huang Chun-hsiung 14p, Shan Wei-fan 12p+6rb, Yan Che-yi 10p
Jap - Kan Yuichi 17p, Takahiro Setsumasa 9p
(@Taipei Physical Education College Gym, Taipei)
Philippines 78-68 Russia
Phi - Reynel Hugnatan 17p, Simon June 14p, Eddie Laure 13p+9rb, Alex Compton 11p+8rb
Rus - Denis Sevastianov 16p+13rb, Konstantin Guerassimov 13p, Alexandre Chernov 12p