Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
PROPEL defeated Easyway 78-64 to secure their slot in the semi-finals of the YOU.C1000 Cup on Monday.
The victory sets them up against Wan Sing on Wednesday at 7pm.
Alvin Goh scored a game-high of 23 points, 10 of them coming in the final period, to lead Propel.
Zhang Yu added 14 while Ting Heng Lee contributed 13.
Tan Ye Wei was the other in double figures with 11 in the triumph.
For Easyway, Jake Chong provided a team-high of 20 points.
Jeremy Chu and Jonathan Lim poured in 15 and 11 respectively in a losing effort.
Easyway got their outside shots to fall in the early going and led by as many as seven points at the BBA Court in Batu Bersurat.
However, they were plagued by fouls with 10 of them in the opening frame.
It allowed Propel to cut in front 26-23 heading into the second quarter.
Easyway got back in front at 29-28 after a four-point play by Chong with 7:40 on the clock.
Easyway were cut down to size after Ben Sim picked up his fourth foul with over six minutes to play in the first half.
Back-back baskets by Easyway just before the halftime buzzer saw the game tied at 38-38 at the interval.
Propel came out storming in the second half as they jumped out to a 12-point lead after over three minutes of play.
They utilised their size advantage to attack the paint for points.
In reply, Easyway turned it up a notch at the defensive end to chip away at the lead to close within 57-53 going into the final stanza.
Zhang scored immediately at the start of the fourth but was whistled for a technical foul for interfering with the ball after a made basket.
He then fouled out moments later for a push on Sim.
A three-pointer by Goh put Propel back up by double figures over three minutes in.
With the scoreboard reading 66-60 midway through, Propel took over at that point with six unanswered points.
An unforced turnover after a bad pass by Chu resulted with Tan Kah Boon finishing a reverse layup at the other end.
Sim was then stripped off the ball the next possession allowing Paul Biala to score in transition.
After another empty trip, Tan was gifted an open layup to make it 72-60 with three minutes to play.
Easyway finally got one field goal to go with a close range shot.
However, they made another turnover and Goh made them pay by burying a short range jumper to make it 74-62 with two minutes left in regulation.
Propel rode out the clock on each possession to progress into the final-four.
