BASKETBALL/Aquas snap Leopards' 6-game winning streak

Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) The Kaohsiung Aquas ended the Taiwan Beer Leopards' franchise-long six-game win streak with a 108-101 victory on Saturday in Taoyuan, helped by a hot night from three-point range.

The Aquas extended their winning streak to four in their last game before the Lunar New Year while handing DeMarcus Cousins his first loss in Taiwan since his T1 LEAGUE debut on Jan. 20, despite Lasan Kromah's game-high 26 points.

The four-time NBA All-Star scored 20 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and dished out a new high eight assists in nearly 32.5 minutes on the floor.

He was eclipsed, however, by the 70 points scored by the trio of Jason Brickman, Mindaugas Kupšas, and Chiu Tzu-hsuan (邱子軒), and a sparkling 14-33 shooting performance from three-point range by the Aquas.

Brickman put on a show with 25 points and an "under par" 11 assists, including a clutch one to Kupšas in the paint that kept the Leopards at bay after the home team had trimmed a 19-point deficit to five with 88 seconds left in the game.

Entering the game, the Filipino-American point guard was leading the league with 12.8 assists per game.

Kaohsiung capped off the third quarter with a Chiu three-pointer to take a 91-78 lead, but things turned halfway through the final quarter when Chiu was injured in a collision with Kromah as he was driving toward the basket with the Aquas ahead 100-86.

After Chiu was carried off the court with 6:22 remaining, the Leopards went on a 13-4 run over the next five minutes before their comeback fell short.

Asked about the team's adjustments after Chiu was hurt, Aquas power forward Hu Long-mao (胡瓏貿) said the team kept encouraging each other because they knew Chiu was not coming back in.

"We knew we were one man down, and we needed to step up, lock in, and be more focused on both ends of the floor," Hu said.

Hu, who finished with seven points and four rebounds, said the team's strategy coming into the game was limiting Cousins on the offensive end by making him as uncomfortable as possible, a strategy Hu did not seem to mind.

It led to multiple physical encounters between Hu and the American big man, with Boogie putting Hu on the ground within 24 seconds after tip-off.

Known for his toughness and fearlessness against some of the league's bigger players from overseas, Hu did not back down. Instead, he egged on the home team's fans into booing him louder after making a few plays.

A crowd of 6,215 spectators turned out for the game, marking a new high for the Leopards at Taoyuan Arena.

Referring to his exchanges with the fans as just "part of the game as it is in the NBA," Hu said he was glad to see the big crowd, and he felt the fans enjoyed the vibe as well.

With the win, the Aquas improved to 10-6, half a game behind the league-leading Leopards and New Taipei CTBC DEA, who are 10-5 atop the five-team league.

The Leopards will host the Tainan TSG GhostHawks on Sunday afternoon in the T1 LEAGUE's last regular season game before the Lunar New Year, and it might be Cousins' last game in the T1 LEAGUE if the Leopards decide not to renew his contract.

Cousins is slated to play a cross-league exhibition game with the Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers in the P.LEAGUE+ at Hsinchu County Stadium on Jan. 30.