Fighters manhandle Mekongers to bag first semi-finals slot- November 16, 2020
POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
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The Extra Joss Fighters rode on a big third quarter to score a come-from-behind win over the Yuetai Mekongers at the end of the elimination round in the Cambodian Basketball League (CBL). The Fighters manhandled the Mekongers, 75-69, at the National Sports Training Center in Phnom Penh to register their 10th win in 13 outings. The win also sent the Fighters straight to the semi-finals. Tournament rules stipulate that the top two teams at the end of the elimination round will advance outright to the semi-finals. The next four teams will battle it out in the quarter-finals for the last two semis slot. Despite a shaky outside shooting, the Mekongers jumped into the lead early in the game. Centre William Reber hit a layup to score the first two points of the game. But the Mekongers struggled from the outside, with point guard Tep Chhorath missing a couple of uncontested jumpers. The Fighters leaned on shooting guard Nilo Candidato to keep the Mekongers at bay. Centre Njoku Keleche, as usual, clogged the passing lanes with his wide body and long arms. But Keleche was hampered by a few turnovers on the other end. The Mekongers took the lead, 9-7, midway through the first quarter, before Candidato hit a runner to tie the game. Candidato was fouled during that play, but missed the bonus shot. The first quarter ended with the Fighters clinging to a two-point advantage, 14-12. The Mekongers finally found their shooting touch in the second period. But the Fighters remained hot, with Candidato and playing coach Sander David leading the way. After the Mekongers closed within two, 20-22, Candidato drove for a layup. But he was stripped of the ball along the way. The ball changed hands, before David scooped it up and converted a short stab. David hit a putback layup a few minutes later to put his team ahead, 28-23, midway through the period. The Mekongers then went on a 13-4 to end the second quarter. Yuetai was ahead by four, 36-32, at the end of the first half. Extra Joss clamped down on defence and rallied after the halftime break. The Fighters outscored the Mekongers 22-3 in the first six minutes of the third period to erect a 15-point lead, 54-39. The Mekongers could not recover as they were outscored by 19, 25-6, in 12 minutes. The Fighters were ahead by 15, 57-42, entering the final period. The Mekongers mounted one last comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, but their efforts fell short as they lost for the third time in 11 outings. 'Our game plan worked well in the second half. We outscored them in the third quarter with great defence. At the same time, we were able to handle the pressure when they tried to come back in the fourth quarter,' David said after the game. 'We will try to optimise and improve our game ahead of the semi-finals,' he added. David tallied 21 points to lead the Fighters. Sam Veasna and Candidato chipped in 15 and 12, respectively. Sam was especially hot from the perimeter, nailing three of his attempts from downtown. The Mekongers will still advance to the semis if they win their last game against Beyond and the ABA Dragons (8-3) lose to the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF). The Fighters beat the Mekongers, 74-66, during their first meeting in September. |
Last Updated: 3/5/2025
