Hiroshima Completes Season Sweep Of Taoyuan, Claims A1 Spot

The Hiroshima Dragonflies locked up the top seed in Group A on Wednesday with a hard-fought 95-92 win over the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots. Hiroshima looked in control at halftime with a commanding 60-47 lead, but Taoyuan stormed back in the second half, outscoring the Dragonflies 27-19 in the fourth quarter to make it a one-possession game. In the end, a couple of costly missed free throws by Taoyuan’s Treveon Graham in the closing moments sealed the win for Hiroshima.

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The Dragonflies had an impressive shooting night, knocking down over 50% from both the field and beyond the arc. Five players finished in double figures for the reigning B.LEAGUE champions, who now turn their focus to facing the B2 seed in the Final Four in Macau SAR.

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Post-Game Triple 

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Yamazaki Comes Alive 

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Ryo Yamazaki had a night to remember against the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, dropping a season-high 19 points and hitting six threes to help lead Hiroshima to victory.

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Yamazaki has been a consistent double-digit scorer for the Dragonflies this season, but Wednesday at F-PICO Arena was something different. The sharpshooting guard knocked down catch-and-shoot looks with ease while also creating his own shots off the dribble.

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He set the tone for Hiroshima from the opening possession, curling off a screen before stepping back and drilling a three over the outstretched arm of Taoyuan’s Alec Brown. Then, fast forward to the fourth quarter with the Pilots closing in late at 86-77, Yamazaki iced the game by sidestepping a defender in the left corner and sinking his sixth and final three of the night.

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Raining 3’s 

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Hiroshima was on fire from deep against Taoyuan, hitting a record-setting 18 threes in the win. Along with Ryo Yamazaki’s hot hand, four other Dragonflies knocked down at least two triples, shattering the team’s previous best of 14 made threes set against the San Miguel Beermen on Jan. 8. 

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The big difference between the two outings? Hiroshima needed 44 attempts to set their previous record against SMB, but against Taoyuan, they accomplished it with just 34 tries.

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From the tip, Hiroshima’s key players looked confident from beyond the arc. Star import Kerry Blackshear Jr. set the tone early, going a perfect 3-for-3 in the first half and finishing without a single miss from deep. Meanwhile, bench guards Ryo Terashima and Ryu Watanabe took full advantage of open looks, calmly knocking them down.

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Hiroshima has never been shy about letting it fly from three, but efficiency has been another story. Before Wednesday’s game, the team had yet to shoot better than 45% from long range, with their best effort coming in the season opener against Hong Kong Eastern at 44.4%. But against Taoyuan, everything clicked, as the Dragonflies totaled a blistering 53.9% clip.

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4th Quarter Surge 

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Taoyuan made a strong push in the final quarter, but Hiroshima held firm to secure the win in their final Group A game of the regular season. The Dragonflies led by 13 at halftime and maintained a comfortable 76-65 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. However, Taoyuan responded with a season-high 27-point effort in the final period, bringing the game down to the wire.

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The Pauian Pilots tightened their defense and found offensive momentum through key bench contributions. Li Chia-Kang and Amdy Dieng provided a spark, capitalizing on second-chance opportunities and attacking the rim with aggression. Center Alec Brown, who recorded a game-high 27 points, played a pivotal role down the stretch, converting tough turnaround jumpers and finishing effectively in the paint.

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Despite Taoyuan’s late rally, Hiroshima remained composed and managed to close out the game. Taoyuan will now turn its attention to a crucial matchup against Hong Kong Eastern on Feb. 5, a must-win scenario to keep their Final Four hopes alive.

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EASL Player Of The Game: Ryo Terashima — Hiroshima Dragonflies 

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Ryo Terashima enjoyed a memorable EASL debut, earning Player of the Game honors with by notching 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists while shooting a flawless 2-for-2 from beyond the arc and 60% from the field.

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Despite battling a knee injury for most of the 2024-25 season, Terashima wasted no time making an impact after checking in with 4:43 left in the first quarter. He quickly racked up eight points, highlighted by an and-one finish and a deep pull-up three from the top of the key as the buzzer sounded, giving Hiroshima a 30-18 lead.

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While he did most of his damage in the first half, Terashima came through in crunch time as well. In the closing minutes, he converted a tough right-handed layup, helping Hiroshima withstand Taoyuan’s late rally and secure the win.

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Stat Of The Game: 63.3% 

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Taoyuan’s struggles at the free throw line played a major role in their loss on Wednesday, as it shot a season-low 63.3% despite earning a season-high 30 attempts.

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The Pauian Pilots have been a dependable free throw shooting team throughout the 2024-25 EASL season, typically hovering around 80%. Before Wednesday’s game, their worst performance had been a 75% showing against the Suwon KT Sonicboom on December 11. 

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Missed free throws proved costly down the stretch, with Treveon Graham unable to capitalize on key opportunities in the final moments. Trailing 94-92 with six seconds left, Graham missed the second of two free throws, allowing Hiroshima to secure possession and run out the clock to seal the win.

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Next Games: 

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Hiroshima Dragonflies

• The Hiroshima Dragonflies have completed all six of their regular season games for the 2024-25 EASL campaign.

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Taoyuan Pauian Pilots 

• Home vs. Hong Kong Eastern (Hong Kong SAR) — Feb. 5, 2025