MACAO - The Taoyuan Pilots sent Arvin Tolentino and the Seoul SK Knights packing , 89-69, and clinched a semis berth in the EASL Finals Wednesday night at the Tap Seac Multi-Sports Favilion.
The Pilots got off to a fast start and held SK Knights import Jameel Warney to just two points in the first half that set the tone of the one-sided quarterfinals match.
Not even Tolentino's 12 points in the opening half could slow down the Pilots, who will next face seeded team Alvark Tokyo in the semis on Friday.
Tolentino ended up sharing scoring honors with Warney each with 18 points, but was clamped down by the Pilots' defense to a 7-of-17 shooting from the field.
"Ang alat, e," said Tolentino of his shooting woes in his first ever EASL playoffs stint.
"But obviously, they're way better than us," added the 30-year-old forward.
Import Treveon Graham led Taoyuan with 19 points and six rebounds, while Alec Brown, the 7-foot-1 American who previously engaged San Miguel's Jericho Cruz in an EASL scuffle two years ago, came just a rebound short of a double-double with 16 points and nine boards.
The Pilots reached the championship round last year but lost to the Hiroshima Dragonflies for the title, 84-80.
The scores
Taoyuan 89 - Graham 19, Brown 16, Lu 12, Artino 10, Chen 7, Kuan 7, Dieng 6, Li 5, Pai 5, Lin 2, Morrison 0, Lin 0.
Seoul SK Knights 69 - Tolentino 18, Warney 18, Monroe 10, Oh 10, Edi 7, Lee 3, An 3, Choi 0, Kim 0.
Quarters: 21-14; 44-32: 72-52; 89-69
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