2021–22 P. League+ season
Sports season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2021–22 P. League+ season was the 2nd season of the P. League+ (PLG). The P. League+ added two new teams, New Taipei Kings and Kaohsiung Steelers, extending the number of teams to 6.[1] The regular season began on December 12, 2021, and is originally scheduled to end on May 15, 2022.[2] The playoffs started on June 3, 2022 and ended on June 27, 2022 after the Taipei Fubon Braves clinched their second consecutive champion.[3]
LeagueP. League+
SportBasketball
Duration
- December 12, 2021 – May 28, 2022
- June 3, 2022 – June 14, 2022 (playoffs)
- June 18, 2022 – June 27, 2022 (finals)
Games30
| 2021–22 PLG season | |
|---|---|
| League | P. League+ |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration |
|
| Games | 30 |
| Teams | 6 |
| TV partner(s) | FTV One, MOMOTV |
| Draft | |
| Top draft pick | Chu Yun-Hao |
| Picked by | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers |
| Regular season | |
| Top seed | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers |
| Season MVP | Yang Chin-Min (Kings) |
| Top scorer | Sim Bhullar (Lioneers) |
| Playoffs | |
| Finals | |
| Champions | Taipei Fubon Braves |
| Runners-up | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers |
| Finals MVP | Mike Singletary |
Transactions
Retirement
- On March 15, 2021, Tien Lei announced his retirement from professional basketball.[4]
- On July 8, 2021, LaDontae Henton joined Providence Friars as a special assistant to the head coach, ending his playing career.[5]
- On September 23, 2021, Lai Kuo-Wei joined New Taipei CTBC DEA as assistant coach, ending his playing career.[6]
Coaching changes
| Team | 2020–21 season | 2021–22 season |
|---|---|---|
| Off-season | ||
| Kaohsiung Steelers | N/a | DeMarcus Berry |
| New Taipei Kings | N/a | Ryan Marchand |
| Taoyuan Pilots | Yang I-Feng (interim) | Cheng Chih-Lung |
| In-season | ||
| Kaohsiung Steelers | DeMarcus Berry | Hung Chi-Chao (interim) |
| Taoyuan Pilots | Cheng Chih-Lung | Yen Hsing-Su (interim) |
| Kaohsiung Steelers | Hung Chi-Chao (interim) | Slavoljub Gorunovic (interim) |
Off-season
- On June 7, 2021, the New Taipei Kings hired Ryan Marchand as their new head coach.[7]
- On June 11, 2021, the Kaohsiung Steelers hired DeMarcus Berry as their new head coach.[8]
- On July 12, 2021, the Taoyuan Pilots hired Cheng Chih-Lung as their new head coach.[9]
- On September 28, 2021, Taoyuan Pilots intermin head coach Yang I-Feng was assigned to assistant coach and player development director.[10]
In-season
- On March 19, 2022, the Kaohsiung Steelers fired head coach DeMarcus Berry and named Hung Chi-Chao as their interim head coach.[11]
- On March 23, 2022, Cheng Chih-Lung resigned from his position as head coach of the Taoyuan Pilots after 16 games with the team. On March 25, 2022, the Pilots named Yen Hsing-Su as their interim head coach.[12][13][14]
Imports / Foreign Student / Heritage Player
| Club | Imports | Foreign students | Heritage players |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formosa Taishin Dreamers |  Julian Boyd Brandon Gilbeck Stefan Janković |
N/a | Kenneth Chien Randall Walko |
| Hsinchu JKO Lioneers |  Sim Bhullar Mike Bruesewitz Nick Faust |
 Iong Ngai-San |
Elliot Tan |
| Kaohsiung Steelers | Anthony Tucker Anthony Bennett Keith Benson Taylor Braun |
 Austin Derrick |
Matthew Yang |
| New Taipei Kings | DeAndre Liggins Byron Mullens Thomas Welsh |
 Omar Niang |
 Steven Guinchard |
| Taipei Fubon Braves |  Perry Jones Mike Singletary Ihor Zaytsev |
Brendon Smart |
Joseph Lin |
| Taoyuan Pilots | Nemanja Bešović Devin Robinson Jordan Tolbert |
N/a | N/a |
Note 1: Heritage player refers to player of Taiwanese descent but does not met the FIBA eligibility rules to be local.
Note 2: Team can either register 2 heritage players or 1 foreign student and 1 heritage player.
Preseason
The preseason began on November 6, 2021, and ended on November 21.[15]
Regular season
The regular season began on December 12, 2021, and ended on May 28, 2022.[2]
| Team | GP | W | L | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| z − Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 30 | 20 | 10 | .667 |
| x − Formosa Taishin Dreamers | 30 | 19 | 11 | .633 |
| x − Taipei Fubon Braves | 30 | 18 | 12 | .600 |
| x − New Taipei Kings | 30 | 16 | 14 | .533 |
| Kaohsiung Steelers | 29 | 9 | 20 | .310 |
| Taoyuan Pilots | 29 | 7 | 22 | .241 |
Notes
- z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs
- x – Clinched playoff spot
Postponed games due to COVID-19
- Three Taoyuan Pilots home games (against the New Taipei Kings on February 11, against the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers on February 19, and against the Formosa Taishin Dreamers on February 20) were postponed due to a COVID outbreak in Taoyuan City.[16]
- The May 7 game between the Taoyuan Pilots and the Kaohsiung Steelers was postponed due to the Steelers not having the required minimum players (7 locals and 1 import) available.[17]
- Two New Taipei Kings games (one home game against the Formosa Taishin Dreamers on May 6 and one road game against Taipei Fubon Braves on May 8) were postponed due to the Kings not having the required minimum players (7 locals and 1 import) available.[18]
- The May 7 game between the Taipei Fubon Braves and the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers was postponed due to Lioneers staffs testing positive for COVID-19 rapid test.[19]
- The May 8 game between the Taoyuan Pilots and the Formosa Taishin Dreamers was postponed due to Pilots players testing positive for COVID-19 rapid test.[19]
- The May 16 game between the Taoyuan Pilots and the Kaohsiung Steelers was postponed due to the Steelers not having the required minimum players (8 players) available.[20]
- Two Formosa Taishin Dreamers road games (one game against the Taoyuan Pilots on May 17 and one game against New Taipei Kings on May 19) were postponed due to the Dreamers not having the required minimum players (8 players) available.[21]
Postponed games due to other reasons
- The February 26 game between the Formosa Taishin Dreamers and the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers was postponed due to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification.[16]
- Two New Taipei Kings home games (against the Kaohsiung Steelers on February 27 and against the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers on February 28) were postponed due to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification.[16]
- Two Taipei Fubon Braves home games (against the Taoyuan Pilots on February 27 and against the Formosa Taishin Dreamers on February 28) were postponed due to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification.[16]
Cancelled games
- On May 29, the Taoyuan Pilots and the Kaohsiung Steelers had reached an agreement that the last game between both teams, which would affect neither the playoffs seeding nor the 2022 draft order, would not be played due to the Steelers could not reach the criteria of required minimum players (8 players) before June 1.[22]
Playoffs
Statistics
Individual statistic leaders
| Category | Player | Team(s) | Statistic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points per game | Sim Bhullar | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 26.33 |
| Rebounds per game | Sim Bhullar | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 20.81 |
| Assists per game | Lee Kai-Yan | New Taipei Kings | 5.96 |
| Steals per game | Chen Yu-Wei | Kaohsiung Steelers | 2.25 |
| Blocks per game | Brandon Gilbeck | Formosa Taishin Dreamers | 3.00 |
| 2P% | Sim Bhullar | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 67% |
| 3P% | Ihor Zaytsev | Taipei Fubon Braves | 40% |
| FT% | Yang Chin-Min | New Taipei Kings | 84% |
Individual game highs
| Category | Player | Team | Statistic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | Sim Bhullar | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 50 |
| Rebounds | Sim Bhullar | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 35 |
| Assists | Lee Kai-Yan | New Taipei Kings | 13 |
| Jordan Tolbert | Taoyuan Pilots | ||
| Steals | Branden Dawson | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 6 |
| Lee Kai-Yan | New Taipei Kings | ||
| Lu Chun-Hsiang | Taoyuan Pilots | ||
| Devin Robinson | Taoyuan Pilots | ||
| Blocks | Sim Bhullar | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 9 |
| Turnovers | Devin Robinson | Taoyuan Pilots | 10 |
Team statistic leaders
| Category | Team | Statistic |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | Taipei Fubon Braves | 98.73 |
| Rebounds per game | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 53.47 |
| Assists per game | Taipei Fubon Braves | 21.67 |
| Steals per game | Taoyuan Pilots | 10.41 |
| Blocks per game | Formosa Taishin Dreamers | 5.07 |
| Turnovers per game | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 18.10 |
| Fouls per game | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | 21.97 |
| 2P% | Taipei Fubon Braves | 51.04% |
| 3P% | Taipei Fubon Braves | 32.05% |
| FT% | New Taipei Kings | 71.70% |
Awards
Yearly awards
| Award | Recipient(s) | ref |
|---|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player | Yang Chin-Min (New Taipei Kings) | [23] |
| Import of the Year | Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) | [24] |
| 6th Man of the Year | Lu Chun-Hsiang (Taoyuan Pilots) | [25] |
| Rookie of the Year | Chen Yu-Wei (Kaohsiung Steelers) | [26] |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Thomas Welsh (New Taipei Kings) | [27] |
| GM of the Year | Tsai Cherng-Ru (Taipei Fubon Braves) | [28] |
| Gold Whistle Award | Chen Hung-Ming | [29] |
| Coach of the Year | Lin Kuan-Lun (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) | [30] |
| Most Improved Player | Kenneth Chien (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) | [31] |
| Best Home Court | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | [32] |
| Best Dressed of the Year | Chang Tsung-Hsien (Taipei Fubon Braves) | [33] |
| Mr. Popular | Lin Chih-Chieh (Taipei Fubon Braves) | [34] |
| PLG Cheerleader Squad of the Year | Formosa Sexy (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) | [35] |
|
|
|
Statistical awards
| Award | Recipient(s) | ref |
|---|---|---|
| Points Leader | Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) | [36] |
| Rebounds Leader | Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) | [37] |
| Assists Leader | Lee Kai-Yan (New Taipei Kings) | [38] |
| Blocks Leader | Brandon Gilbeck (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) | [39] |
| Steals Leader | Chen Yu-Wei (Kaohsiung Steelers) | [40] |
Finals
| Award | Recipient(s) | ref |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | Taipei Fubon Braves | [41] |
| Finals MVP | Mike Singletary (Taipei Fubon Braves) | [41] |
Players of the Week
Preseason
| Week | Recipient | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kao Kuo-Hao (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) | [42] |
| 2 | Lu Cheng-Ju (Kaohsiung Steelers) | [43] |
| 3 | Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) | [44] |
Regular season
| Week | Recipient | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Singletary (Taipei Fubon Braves) (1/2) | [45] |
| 2 | Mike Singletary (Taipei Fubon Braves) (2/2) | [46] |
| 3 | Lee Kai-Yan (New Taipei Kings) (1/1) | [47] |
| 4 | Brendon Smart (Taipei Fubon Braves) (1/1) | [48] |
| 5 | Lin Chih-Chieh (Taipei Fubon Braves) (1/1) | [49] |
| 6 | Wang Po-Chih (Kaohsiung Steelers) (1/1) | [50] |
| 7 | Lin Chun-Chi (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) (1/2) | [51] |
| 8 | Lu Cheng-Ju (Kaohsiung Steelers) (1/1) | [52] |
| 9 | Branden Dawson (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1) | [53] |
| 10 | Chang Tsung-Hsien (Taipei Fubon Braves) (1/1) | [54] |
| 12 | Devin Robinson (Taoyuan Pilots) (1/1) | [55] |
| 13 | Nick Faust (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1) | [56] |
| 14 | Lin Chun-Chi (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) (2/2) | [57] |
| 15 | Yang Chin-Min (New Taipei Kings) (1/1) | [58] |
| 16 | Kao Kuo-Hao (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1) | [59] |
| 17 | Kuo Shao-Chieh (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1) | [60] |
| 18 | Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1) | [61] |
| 19 | Douglas Creighton (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) (1/1) | [62] |
| 20 | Chen Yu-Wei (Kaohsiung Steelers) (1/1) | [63] |
Players of the Month
| Month | Recipient | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| December | Thomas Welsh (New Taipei Kings) (1/1) | [64] |
| January | Lu Cheng-Ju (Kaohsiung Steelers) (1/1) | [65] |
| February | Julian Boyd (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) (1/1) | [66] |
| March | Yang Chin-Min (New Taipei Kings) (1/1) | [67] |
| April | Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1) | [68] |
| May | Nick Faust (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1) | [69] |
Arenas
- The Kaohsiung Steelers announced on May 25, 2021, that they would play their home games at Fengshan Arena.[70]
- The New Taipei Kings announced on September 4, that they would play their home games at Xinzhuang Gymnasium, and would share the same arena with New Taipei CTBC DEA of T1 League.[71]
- Due to the renovation of Changhua County Stadium, the Formosa Taishin Dreamers announced on July 7, 2021, that they would play their home games at Intercontinental Basketball Stadium in Taichung City this season.[72]
- The Taoyuan Pilots scheduled first two of their home games at National Taiwan Sport University Arena.[73]
- The Taoyuan Pilots relocated last two of their rescheduled home games to Nanshan High School Gymnasium in New Taipei City, despite the latter one was cancelled on May 29.[74][75]
Media
The games will be aired on television via FTV One and MOMOTV, and will be broadcast online on YouTube Official Channel, 4gTV, and Yahoo! Sports.[76]