Yuki Togashi and the Chiba Jets weather a fourth-quarter storm from Joseph Lin to book their ticket to the Finals of the East Asia Super League.
LAPU-LAPU CITY — Facing a different wave of “Linsanity,” the Chiba Jets turned to their array of stars to survive and advance in the East Asia Super League Final Four at the Hoops Dome here Friday.
The B.League representatives carved out thrilling 92-84 victory over the P.LEAGUE+’s New Taipei Kings, arranging a title showdown with the KBL’s Seoul SK Knights.
Yuki Togashi, Shuta Hara, and John Mooney conspired for a 13-2 closing run for Chiba in the final 3:34 to spoil an inspired performance from Joseph Lin.
After Austin Daye’s tough fallaway jumper put the Kings up 82-79, Togashi hit a booming three to tie. Hara followed it up with a trey of his own, then Yuki scored a layup to make it a five-point Jets lead with 1:21 left.
Mooney then put the finishing touches in the electric win, scoring a layup and hitting three free throws late as the Jets now make it 7-0 this season, dating back from a perfect pool play.
Togashi led all scorers with 28 points, spiked by six threes. Xavier Cooks had a monster game himself for the Jets with 24 points, 22 rebounds, six blocks, and three steals.
John Mooney added 22 points and 12 rebounds for Chiba.
Joseph Lin was the man for New Taipei, finishing with 21 points and five assists. The younger Lin brother drilled three triples in the first half of the fourth quarter, giving the Kings a 78-74 lead before the Jets started to issue a response.
Former Bay Area Dragons forward Hayden Blankley added 17 for the Kings, while Chin-Min Yang contributed 16.
New Taipei unfortunately missed the services of Jeremy Lin for the game, a late scratch as he still deals with an injury.