Taoyuan: Five years into its history, the P. LEAGUE+ (PLG) is set to host its first-ever Game 7 in a championship series after the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots defeated the Taipei Fubon Braves 83-67. The victory at Taoyuan Arena tied the best-of-seven series 3-3, extending the finals to a decisive game on Wednesday, when the Pilots will aim for their first PLG title.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Pilots faced a tough loss to the New Taipei Kings 4-1 in their PLG Finals debut last season. Pilots star Lu Chun-hsiang, who had been relatively quiet in the first three games of the series, scored a game-high 19 points on Monday and has averaged 22.3 points over the past three games. Lu, regarded as the face of the franchise, emphasized the importance of staying focused for Wednesday’s game.

Throughout the game, the Pilots maintained control, leading 47-31 at halftime. The Braves reduced the gap to 64-53 by the end of the third quarter and came within five points after a 10-4 run at the start of the fourth quarter. However, a crucial jumper by Pilots point guard Pai Yao-cheng and a three-pointer from Lu kept the Braves at bay. Braves acting coach Aaron Wu pointed to his team’s poor three-point shooting as a key factor in the loss.

Wu acknowledged the Braves’ generally strong defense against the Pilots but expressed hope that his team would perform better offensively in Game 7. Meanwhile, Pilots head coach Iurgi Caminos lauded his team for their performance and stressed the importance of maintaining focus in the upcoming game.

Game 7 is scheduled to take place in Taoyuan at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.