Taoyuan shocks Suwon KT on the road, picks up first-ever EASL victory

Gameday 3: Group A — Taoyuan Pauian Pilots 91 (1-0) vs. Suwon KT Sonicboom 70 (1-1)

October 23, 2024 – Suwon KT Sonicboom Arena, Suwon, S. Korea

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On Wednesday, the Korean Basketball League’s Suwon KT Sonicboom hosted the P. LEAGUE+’s Taoyuan Pauian Pilots in their first East Asia Super League home game.

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Despite jumping out to a 26-19 lead after 10 minutes, KT trailed 44-43 at the break before Taoyuan took complete control in the second half. Led by imports Treveon Graham and Alec Brown’s combined 57 points, the Pauian Pilots pulled off a shock 91-70 upset on the road.

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Now, Taoyuan sits tied with the B.LEAGUE’s Hiroshima Dragonflies atop Group A with a perfect 1-0 record, while the Sonicboom slump to 1-1 and fall to third place.

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Post-Game Triple:

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Rayshaun Hammonds’ Struggles

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Rayshaun Hammonds excelled in his EASL debut against the San Miguel Beermen on Oct. 2, scoring a game-high 39 points and tallying 14 rebounds in an 87-81 Suwon KT win.

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But on Wednesday, the 6-foot-7 forward mustered just four points on 16.7% shooting from the floor in the blowout 91-70 defeat.

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Early on, foul trouble plagued Hammonds. He drew a costly third foul near the beginning of the second quarter and sat out for most of the period. From there, he continued to struggle offensively, forcing long-range 2’s and missing contested looks around the basket.

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Defensively, the Pauian Pilots clogged up the paint and stifled Hammonds before he could make a move.

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Alec Brown Breaks Out

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Alec Brown (middle) surveys his options near the left wing. Brown registered 25 points against Suwon KT, including four 3-pointers.

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Throughout Wednesday night’s away affair, Alec Brown punished the Suwon KT defense. The former 2015 second-round pick notched 25 points, nine rebounds and four assists in his first-ever EASL game. What also stood out about Brown’s performance was his ability to hit a game-high seven free-throws at an 87.5% clip.

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Whether it was cleaning up misses on the offensive boards or popping out to hit one of his four 3’s, Brown played a complete game.

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“Without Alec a lot of this doesn’t work,” Graham said of Brown’s contribution to Taoyuan postgame. “He spreads the floor so well (and) he’s one of the best shooters I’ve been around… Without him, a lot of this isn’t possible.”

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Pai Yao-Cheng’s Quiet Double-Double

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Pai Yao-Cheng (left) attempts a right-handed layup over a Suwon KT Sonicboom defender. Pai finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

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Pai Yao-Cheng didn’t score the most points against Suwon KT. He didn’t corral a team-high in rebounds or lead the contest in assists either. But from the tip, Pai’s play-making ability and court awareness fueled Taoyuan to its upset road victory.

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Totaling 16 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists, the 5-foot-10 guard knocked down crucial 3’s and scampered free from a press-heavy Sonicboom defense to convert driving layups. Defensively, he did well to help contain opposing star guards Heo Hoon and Han Huiwon.

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On one play, With 6:53 left in the first half, Pai hit a three-pointer from the left corner, giving the Pauian Pilots a 33-31 lead after trailing for the previous 15 minutes. In the fourth period, Pai’s stellar play continued as he cashed in on a couple of mid-range jumpers before he left the game and joined a beaming Taoyuan bench group at the 1:25 mark.

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EASL Player of the Game: Treveon Graham — Taoyuan Pauian Pilots

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Finishing with a game-high 32 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 5 assists, EASL debutant Treveon Graham had his way at Suwon KT Sonicboom Arena.

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Having reached double-digit scoring by halftime, Graham kept attacking the basket and consistently splashed in catch-and-shoot 3’s to bury the Sonicboom.

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The former NBA journeyman also hit the game’s dagger with 6:37 remaining and an already-comfortable 75-73 Taoyuan lead. After the Pauian Pilots strung together a few passes to lose the KT defense, Graham canned a left-wing 3 to open up a 15-point advantage.

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“We knew this was our first game in EASL and that there was going to be some jitters,” Graham said postgame. “But we knew as long as we stayed aggressive and everyone stuck to the gameplan that we could come in here and get the (win).”

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Stat of the Game: 7

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Taoyuan led Suwon KT 66-63 at the end of the third quarter. But in the fourth period, the Pauian Pilots outscored the Sonicboom 25-7 to win 91-70.

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KT’s seven fourth-quarter points marks the lowest output by a team in a single quarter throughout the first five games of the 2024-25 EASL season. In fact, the home team didn’t get on the board for the first 5:11 of the period.

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Due to Hammonds’ struggles and his frontcourt partner, Jeremiah Tilmon Jr., in foul trouble, KT relied on Heo for most of its offense. When Taoyuan centered its defense around Heo, the Sonicboom had no answer aside from an occasional 3 from their sharpshooter Han.

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