What Happened 

The Taipei Fubon Braves triumphed over reigning B.LEAGUE champions Utsunomiya Brex in stunning fashion, prevailing 109-97 in a wild, back-and-forth affair.

Utsunomiya opened the game with a 7-0 run, but Fubon kept pace and the teams remained neck and neck through most of the first half. By halftime, new import Archie Goodwin was already in rhythm, finishing the second quarter with 20 points on an efficient 8-for-9 shooting night.

The third and fourth quarters continued the shootout, with Goodwin pouring in points and Utsunomiya, led by two-time B.LEAGUE MVP D.J. Newbill, answering possession for possession. With under 10 seconds left in regulation the Brex led 95-93, but after a missed chance to seal the game, Fubon point guard Chen You-Wei raced the length of the floor and banked in a layup to force overtime.

In the extra period, the two teams traded baskets, but a pair of crucial missed free throws by the visitors in the closing moments left Utsunomiya trailing 109-107 with the ball in Newbill’s hands. His corner 3 at the buzzer clanged off the rim, and Fubon held on for the win.

Goodwin set the tone for the Braves, while Mohamed Mbaye added 25 points and fellow new signing Bennie Boatwright chipped in 21. The result caps a thrilling night and gives Fubon a signature road victory over one of Japan’s best.

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What It Means 

The Fubon Braves sit atop a tough Group A with a 1–0 record, while Utsunomiya, which became Japan’s most decorated club after winning its third B.LEAGUE title last May, falls to 0–1.

On the next gameday, the Brex return home to face Korea’s Seoul SK Knights, while Taipei does not play another EASL game until Dec. 13, when it hosts Hong Kong Eastern.

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EASL Player of the Game 

Archie Goodwin was on an absolute tear, finishing with 43 points and proving nearly impossible to guard. That scoring output is the second-highest performance in EASL history, behind Jameel Warney’s 45-point game on Nov. 8, 2023.

The former Kentucky Wildcat started with a few in-close finishes to find his touch, then extended his range. With 3:41 left in the second quarter, he hit a near-impossible stepback three over Kaisei Hoshikawa to put Fubon up 41-37. Goodwin capped a 20-point first half with several transition finishes.

Late in the third, he buried a tough left-corner three over Isaac Fotu, then ended the period with a deep bomb over D.J. Newbill. He was feeling it from the start and never let up.

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Super Statistic: 109

The Taipei Fubon Braves’ 109 points were the most they have ever scored in an EASL game. Although the team did not compete in the 2024–25 season, it was part of the league’s inaugural 2023–24 campaign.

In that first season the Braves went 1–5 in the group stage and failed to reach the postseason. Their lone win produced 106 points, a total they did not surpass until tonight.

To open EASL Tip Off 2025, Taipei shot 55.7 percent from the field, the highest mark among the six teams that played Wednesday night. Archie Goodwin set the tone for the Braves, while Mohamed Mbaye added 25 points and fellow new signing Bennie Boatwright chipped in 21.

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Up Next 

Utsunomiya returns to Brex Arena to host the KBL runners-up, the Seoul SK Knights, on October 22. The Taipei Fubon Braves won’t play again until December 13, when they return to Taipei Heping Gymnasium to face visiting Hong Kong Eastern.