Kontinentals suffer decisive defeat in new league opener

With eight minutes left on the clock and Kontinentals battling a 30-point lead, the team clandestinely received some unsolicited intelligence.

No. 12 of the opposing team had four fouls and the team had no substitutes.

“Time out!” two Kontinentals team members on the bench chorused.

The officials quickly acquiesced.

In the huddle, the information was quickly communicated, the strategy devised and agreed upon.

The whistle went and the game recommenced.

No. 12, oblivious of the scheme, fell for the trap as the plan was executed with precision.

“Foul!” the referee called and all eyes turned to the officials on the side-line as the “5” sign went up.

No. 12 drooped him shoulders as he walked back to the bench – having accepted, after several inquiries, that he in fact had five fouls and was out of the game.

He lumbered back to the bench, leaving only four teammates to complete the battle with Kontinentals, and handing the multi-national team a chance to recover from what had been steady blows.

But even with the unexpected change of luck, it was a game of different league same, same season-opener for Kontinentals.

The four weeks of downtime between the switch from APAL to Somebody Basketball League, during which the team members hardly played, far more play together, showed.

At the end of the game, Kontinentals, battered and bruised, had suffered a decisive 87-49 defeat at the hands of MéiYìJiàn (沒意見), although the opposing team played the entire game without any substitutes and only four players for most of the final quarter.

MéiYìJiàn was helped to victory by a 45.4 per cent shooting success rate, versus Kontinentals’ meagre 28.1 per cent.

But the winners also outrebound Kontinentals – 57-49 – even as both teams registered 8 assists, and MéiYìJiàn with 8 steals, registered one more than Kontinentals.

The top scorers for Kontinentals were Joey, who netted 6 of the 7 two-pointers he attempted (85.7%) and Gordon Quick, who bagged 4 of the 9 two-pointers (44.4%).

Tambi found the rim once in his 17 tries for 2 pointers (5.8%) and twice out of 10 attempts (20%) to place the ball inside the rim from outside the 3-point line.

Jeff scored 2 out of 6 (33.3%) two-pointers while Tom bagged 1 of 5 (20%) and 2 out of 11 attempts at three-pointers (18.1%).

Doug, Kenton, and Hakki all failed to score during their respective single attempts, while Billy failed twice.

Kontinentals play again on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 4:30 p.m. at Nangang Sports Centre (Yucheng Street, Nangang District, Taipei City, No. 69/臺北市南港區玉成街69號 –Exit 4 out of MRT Houshanpi Station).