TPBL: Holman Drops 31 Points as Dreamers Overtake Leopards for League Top Spot
In the TPBL, the Formosa Dreamers defeated the Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers 92-86, led by import Aric Holman's 31 points. The victory propelled the Dreamers to the top of the league standings and secured their playoff berth.
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- 📰 Published: April 19, 2026 at 19:01
- 🔍 Collected: April 19, 2026 at 19:31 (30 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 21:37 (2h 5m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA, Reporter Chen Jung-chen, Taipei 19th) The Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL) Formosa Dreamers relied on import player Aric Holman's explosive 31 points to defeat the Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers 92-86 today. They not only overtook the Taiwan Beer Leopards to claim the top spot in the league but also secured a playoff berth.
Tied for the league lead with the Leopards before the game, the Dreamers continued their home stand against the Lioneers today. Despite poor shooting and trailing early on, import Aric Holman put on a scoring clinic, bringing the teams to a 67-67 tie after three quarters.
Entering the decisive fourth quarter, the game remained tight, with the Dreamers holding a slim 2-point lead with just 14 seconds left. Unexpectedly, the Lioneers committed consecutive fatal inbound turnovers, allowing Brandon Gilbeck and Chang Tsung-hsien to score easy layups, instantly extending the Dreamers' lead to seal the game. The Dreamers eventually won by 6 points, successfully clinching their playoff qualification early.
Dreamers' import Holman came off the bench and displayed immense intimidation in the paint. Shooting nearly 80% from two-point range, he scored a season-second-high 31 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Combined with Benjamin Bentil's "triple-double" of 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, this proved to be the key to turning the game around.
From a poor start to the season, once sitting at the bottom of the standings, to now overtaking the Leopards for the league's top spot, Head Coach Chien Hao said in a post-game media interview that it's all part of the process. He noted that tweaking the offensive system at the start of the season inevitably comes with growing pains. He admitted it was fortunate this happened early on rather than at the end of the season, allowing the team to gradually build their offensive and defensive systems through integration.
Starting point guard Lin Chun-chi mentioned that while they have reached the playoffs in recent years, the outcomes weren't what anyone wanted. He hopes for a different ending this year and will focus on preparing for the playoffs. "Although we can't let our emotions fluctuate too much, we're still very happy to advance," he said. (Editor: Wu Su-jou)
(CNA, Reporter Chen Jung-chen, Taipei 19th) The Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL) Formosa Dreamers relied on import player Aric Holman's explosive 31 points to defeat the Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers 92-86 today. They not only overtook the Taiwan Beer Leopards to claim the top spot in the league but also secured a playoff berth.
Tied for the league lead with the Leopards before the game, the Dreamers continued their home stand against the Lioneers today. Despite poor shooting and trailing early on, import Aric Holman put on a scoring clinic, bringing the teams to a 67-67 tie after three quarters.
Entering the decisive fourth quarter, the game remained tight, with the Dreamers holding a slim 2-point lead with just 14 seconds left. Unexpectedly, the Lioneers committed consecutive fatal inbound turnovers, allowing Brandon Gilbeck and Chang Tsung-hsien to score easy layups, instantly extending the Dreamers' lead to seal the game. The Dreamers eventually won by 6 points, successfully clinching their playoff qualification early.
Dreamers' import Holman came off the bench and displayed immense intimidation in the paint. Shooting nearly 80% from two-point range, he scored a season-second-high 31 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Combined with Benjamin Bentil's "triple-double" of 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, this proved to be the key to turning the game around.
From a poor start to the season, once sitting at the bottom of the standings, to now overtaking the Leopards for the league's top spot, Head Coach Chien Hao said in a post-game media interview that it's all part of the process. He noted that tweaking the offensive system at the start of the season inevitably comes with growing pains. He admitted it was fortunate this happened early on rather than at the end of the season, allowing the team to gradually build their offensive and defensive systems through integration.
Starting point guard Lin Chun-chi mentioned that while they have reached the playoffs in recent years, the outcomes weren't what anyone wanted. He hopes for a different ending this year and will focus on preparing for the playoffs. "Although we can't let our emotions fluctuate too much, we're still very happy to advance," he said. (Editor: Wu Su-jou)