Wai Keung Lee scored 14 points, a game-high, Andy Li and Chi Fu Yuen added 9 and 8 each for M.I.B. who defeat shorthanded Tigers 45-32 and the victory was the third in a row for this season. SOUTHORN Tigers had only seven players dressed despite the return of Wilson Chow.

Benny Wong missed all his six field goals in the first half, when Tigers only manged to score four points in each of the first two periods.

With a 5-to-zero free-throw run, M.I.B. scored the game’s first five points all at the line. After leading 7-4 in the first period, the M.I.B. extended the lead to double figures at 18-8 into the halftime break.

Benny Answered a three after the long basket by Andy Li before Ray Chan added a free throw entering the final period. Ray opened the final period with anohter layup to cut the lead to 7, the closest margin in the rest of the game, before M.I.B. responded with an 8-0 spurt and the lead was extended to 31-16.

Ray scored the next five Tigers’ points to cut the lead at 21-31 mid-way through the final period. Benny swished two three-pointers in two straight possessions but they still failed to get closer and defend.

After Benny’s final three-point attempt, from almost four-feet beyond the three-point line, swished in, M.I.B. went on to score on the final fast-break for a 45-32 victory and the third in a row.

Eleven of the 18 points by M.I.B. in the first half came from free throws, and they finished 17-for-29 overall. Tigers only had 10 attempts, and made five.

Former M.I.B. Ben Cheng started at Centre. He added two points and a team-high seven boards. Tigers, after a 47-rebound effort in the previous victory against Challengers, was out-rebounded 30-20 and allowed 12 offensive boards to the opponent.

Ray Chan scored a personal best 12 points along with four rebounds and three steals, Benny scored also 12, from four three-pointers, which is a season high. Only Ka Wai Fu made five treys in a single game, a league record.

Wilson Chow’s season debut ended with two points and five fouls.