Roy Kwok and Explorers cannot grab the ball, and the win.

M.I.B. beat G.T. Explorers 37-32 in the first round and will face Photons on June 7. The Explorers become the second team with a single victory in season 2009 after the loss.

Thomas Lau was an early answer from Explorers who twice tied the game in the beginning. M.I.B. stretched the lead to 10-4, but Ivan Choi cut it to three by adding three foul shots. He started the second period with two and cut the lead to one.

However, M.I.B. runs the floor well enough and the Explorers struggled to score for extended minutes. The men in black used a 12-to-nothing spurt to create a double-figure advantage. Ivan could only add two more free throws for Explorers, who were down 12-22 at the break.

Explorers rallied in the third period.

Jefferson Tong and Andy Li each made one basket from the field but the team combined to miss 10 attempts. Ivan scored six of his game-high 14 points and Thomas added two free throws as they pulled within 24-26 entering the final stanza.

Size and stregth advantage by the M.I.B. still put them at the better end.

Chi Fu Yuen finished a three-point play to put M.I.B. back to a nine-point lead. Corn hui added six points in the final period.

Raymond Ho made a lone trey for the team but time was short and Explorers had their season ended on Sunday.

Kit Cheng had a quiet four points and five boards but committed seven turnovers. Roy Kwok had three points but was 1-on-4 at the line.

Neither bench scored, while all starters from each team had at least three points.