MBL Round 25 (Regular Season): Xac Broncos beat Apes by two after a very close game

There are only two more rounds left in the Regular Season in MBL. Host teams show no mercy winning all games. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

Second-ranked Apes (15-8) were very close to win a game against first ranked Broncos (19-6) in Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday. Broncos managed to secure only two-point victory 80-78. However their fans expected easier game. It ended at the same time the six-game winning streak of Apes. Xac Broncos made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. They also forced 22 Apes turnovers. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Jordan Tolbert (200-1992, college: SMU) who helped to win the game recording 22 points and 7 rebounds. The former international Baatar-Erdene Barsbold (-2004) contributed with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals for the winners. American swingman Kris Clyburn (196-1996, college: UNLV) answered with 22 points and 8 rebounds for Apes. Xac Broncos maintains first place with 19-6 record. Apes at the other side dropped to the third position with eight games lost. Xac Broncos are looking forward to face Darkhan (#8) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Apes will play against the league's second-placed Metal (#2) in Ulaanbaatar and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in was also worth to mention about. 6th ranked Bodons (12-11) played at the court of seventh ranked Knights (13-11). Knights managed to secure a 5-point victory 86-81. The former international guard Erdenetsogt Ochirbat (184-1995) stepped up and scored 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners and Togoldor Batmenh chipped in 16 points. At the losing side Haitian forward Jeantal Cylla (201-1996, college: Arkansas) responded with 28 points and 5 assists. Knights moved-up to fourth place. Selenge lost fifth consecutive game. They dropped to the seventh position with 11 games lost. Knights will play against Miners (#5) in Erdenet in the next round. Selenge will play at home against UB TLG and hopes to get back on the winning track.
The game between third ranked Metal (16-9) and 9th ranked Bizon (6-20) in Ulaanbaatar on Thursday ended with biggest points difference. Metal outscored guests from Nalaikh 117-76. Byron Wesley nailed 27 points and 9 assists (on 11-of-14 shooting from the field) for the winning side. Justin Moss came up with a double-double by scoring 32 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals for Bison in the defeat. Metal have an impressive series of six victories in a row. They moved-up to second place. Loser Bizon keeps the ninth position with 20 games lost. Metal will meet at home Apes (#3) in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Bison will play against Darkhan (#8) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

In the last game of round 25 bottom-ranked UB TLG was beaten by Brothers on the road 107-93.



Brothers - UB TLG 107-93

No shocking result in a game when seventh ranked Brothers (12-10) beat bottom-ranked UB TLG (5-19) in Uliastai 107-93 on Tuesday. Brothers forced 19 UB TLG turnovers and outrebounded them 48-32 including a 32-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. Brothers looked well-organized offensively handing out 34 assists comparing to just 18 passes made by UB TLG's players. American guard McKenzie Moore (198-1992, college: UTEP) nailed a triple-double by scoring 19 points, 18 rebounds and 17 assists for the winning side and point guard Munkhtur Baasandorj (183) accounted for 25 points. Five Brothers players scored in double figures. American forward Kenny Wooten Jr (204-1998, college: Oregon) came up with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds and Bilguun Gan-Erdene added 17 points and 4 assists respectively for UB TLG in the defeat. Brothers moved-up to sixth place. UB TLG lost eleventh consecutive game. They stay at the bottom position with 19 games lost. Brothers will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. UB TLG will play against Selenge (#7) in Sukhbaatar and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Brothers: M.Baasandorj 25+2reb+1ast, M.Moore 19+18reb+17ast, B.Sandagsuren 19+4reb, U.Chinguun 14+4reb+2ast, A.Erdenehuiag 12+3reb+3ast, D.Purevsuren 10+2reb+4ast
UB TLG: B.Gan-Erdene 17+4reb+4ast, A.Lhagva 15+3reb+1ast, K.Wooten Jr. 15+11reb+2ast, H.Erdenebat 7+4reb+7ast, T.Suhbaatar 5+1reb, I.Erdenecogt 4+2reb

Xac Broncos - Apes 80-78

Second-ranked Apes (15-8) were very close to win a game against first ranked Broncos (19-6) in Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday. Broncos managed to secure only two-point victory 80-78. However their fans expected easier game. It ended at the same time the six-game winning streak of Apes. Xac Broncos made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. They also forced 22 Apes turnovers. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Jordan Tolbert (200-1992, college: SMU) who helped to win the game recording 22 points and 7 rebounds. The former international Baatar-Erdene Barsbold (-2004) contributed with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals for the winners. American swingman Kris Clyburn (196-1996, college: UNLV) answered with 22 points and 8 rebounds and South Sudanese-Australian center Deng Acuoth (208-1996) added 17 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for Apes. Xac Broncos maintains first place with 19-6 record. Apes at the other side dropped to the third position with eight games lost. Xac Broncos are looking forward to face Darkhan (#8) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Apes will play against the league's second-placed Metal (#2) in Ulaanbaatar and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Xac Broncos: J.Tolbert 22+7reb+2ast, B.Barsbold 11+5reb+5ast, I.Chuluunbaatar 9+8reb+1ast, B.Sandagdorj 8+2reb+1ast, S.Enkhbaatar 7+1reb, E.Erkhembayar 7+1ast
Apes: K.Clyburn 22+8reb+3ast, D.Acuoth 17+8reb+1ast, N.Ganbaatar 10+3reb, S.Tsagaanbaatar 7, M.E. 7+1reb+3ast, T.Mendbayar 5+3reb

Knights - Selenge 86-81

The game in was also worth to mention about. 6th ranked Bodons (12-11) played at the court of seventh ranked Knights (13-11). Knights managed to secure a 5-point victory 86-81. Knights made 19-of-25 charity shots (76.0 percent) during the game. Knights had a 19-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. The former international guard Erdenetsogt Ochirbat (184-1995) stepped up and scored 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners and Togoldor Batmenh chipped in 16 points. At the losing side Haitian forward Jeantal Cylla (201-1996, college: Arkansas) responded with 28 points and 5 assists and American forward Ahmad Gilbert (200-1996, college: St.Thomas, FL) scored 9 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Five Knights and four Selenge players scored in double figures. Knights moved-up to fourth place. Selenge lost fifth consecutive game. They dropped to the seventh position with 11 games lost. Knights will play against Miners (#5) in Erdenet in the next round. Selenge will play at home against UB TLG and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Knights: E.Ochirbat 19+8reb+4ast, T.Batmenh 16+3reb+2ast, L.Thomas 12+4reb+3ast, M.Hureltogoo 12+4reb, P.Williams 10+6reb+2ast, U.Oyuntsetseg 5+3reb+1ast
Selenge: J.Cylla 28+2reb+5ast, B.Altantsas 14+4reb, B.Narangerel 12+1reb+1ast, T.Sergelenbaatar 12+2reb+1ast, A.Gilbert 9+7reb+5ast, T.Otgondari 4+5reb

Metal - Bison 117-76

The game between third ranked Metal (16-9) and 9th ranked Bizon (6-20) in Ulaanbaatar on Thursday ended with biggest points difference. Metal outscored guests from Nalaikh 117-76. Metal dominated down low during the game scoring 64 of its points in the paint compared to Bizon's 42. Metal had a 30-18 advantage in offensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 32 assists comparing to just 18 passes made by Bison's players. American guard Byron Wesley (196-1992, college: Gonzaga) nailed 27 points and 9 assists (on 11-of-14 shooting from the field) for the winning side and his fellow American import power forward Devon Scott (205-1994, college: Dayton) accounted for 17 points and 13 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). Four Metal players scored in double figures. American power forward Justin Moss (203-1993, college: Buffalo) came up with a double-double by scoring 32 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and Gankhuyag Damdinzhav added 11 points and 8 rebounds respectively for Bison in the defeat. Metal have an impressive series of six victories in a row. They moved-up to second place. Loser Bizon keeps the ninth position with 20 games lost. Metal will meet at home Apes (#3) in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Bison will play against Darkhan (#8) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Metal: B.Wesley 27+3reb+9ast, D.Scott 17+13reb+2ast, D.E. 13+3reb+4ast, E.Amarbayasgalan 10+3reb+2ast, T.Lkhagvajav 10+1reb, B.O. 9+5reb+2ast
Bison: J.Moss 32+15reb+5ast, B.B. 12+4reb+2ast, G.Damdinzhav 11+8reb+2ast, M.Purevdorj 6+4reb+4ast, B.B. 5+2reb, T.T. 4+1reb+2ast