The 2021–22 P. League+ season was the second 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 six. The regular season began on December 12, 2021, and was originally scheduled to end on May 15, 2022. The playoffs started on June 3, 2022 and ended on June 27, 2022, after the Taipei Fubon Braves clinched their second consecutive champion.
Transactions
Retirement On March 15, 2021, Tien Lei announced his retirement from professional basketball. On July 8, 2021, LaDontae Henton joined Providence Friars as a special assistant to the head coach, ending his playing career. On September 23, 2021, Lai Kuo-Wei joined New Taipei CTBC DEA as assistant coach, ending his playing career.
Coaching changes + Coaching changes Team 2020–21 season 2021–22 seasonOff-season Kaohsiung Steelers DeMarcus Berry New Taipei Kings Ryan Marchand Taoyuan Pilots Yang I-Feng (interim) Cheng Chih-LungIn-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. On June 11, 2021, the Kaohsiung Steelers hired DeMarcus Berry as their new head coach. On July 12, 2021, the Taoyuan Pilots hired Cheng Chih-Lung as their new head coach. On September 28, 2021, Taoyuan Pilots intermin head coach Yang I-Feng was assigned to assistant coach and player development director.
In-season On March 19, 2022, the Kaohsiung Steelers fired head coach DeMarcus Berry and named Hung Chi-Chao as their interim head coach. 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.
Imports / foreign students / heritage players Club Imports Foreign students Heritage players Formosa Taishin Dreamers Stephan Hicks Ricky Ledo Julian Boyd Brandon Gilbeck Stefan Janković Kenneth Chien Randall Walko Hsinchu JKO Lioneers Branden Dawson Sim Bhullar Mike Bruesewitz Nick Faust Iong Ngai-San Elliot Tan Kaohsiung Steelers Manny Harris Anthony Tucker Anthony Bennett Keith Benson Taylor Braun Austin Derrick Matthew Yang New Taipei Kings Chris McCullough DeAndre Liggins Byron Mullens Thomas Welsh Omar Niang Steven Guinchard Taipei Fubon Braves Samuel Deguara Perry Jones Mike Singletary Ihor Zaytsev Brendon Smart Joseph Lin Taoyuan Pilots John Gillon Nemanja Bešović Devin Robinson Jordan Tolbert
Note 1: "Heritage player" refers to a player who is of Taiwanese descent but does not meet the FIBA eligibility rules to be local.
Note 2: Team can either register two heritage players, or one foreign student and one heritage player.
Preseason The preseason began on November 6, 2021, and ended on November 21.
Regular season The regular season began on December 12, 2021, and ended on May 28, 2022.
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. The May 7 game between the Taoyuan Pilots and the Kaohsiung Steelers was postponed due to the Steelers not having the required minimum players (seven locals and one import) available. 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 (seven locals and one import) available. 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. 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. The May 16 game between the Taoyuan Pilots and the Kaohsiung Steelers was postponed due to the Steelers not having the required minimum players (eight) available. 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 (eight) available.
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. 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. 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.
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 (eight) before June 1.
Playoffs
Bracket
Bold: Series winner Italic: Team with home-court advantage
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 35Assists Lee Kai-Yan New Taipei Kings 13 Jordan Tolbert Taoyuan PilotsSteals 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 + 2021–22 P. League+ awards Award Recipient(s) ref Most Valuable Player Yang Chin-Min (New Taipei Kings) Import of the Year Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) 6th Man of the Year Lu Chun-Hsiang (Taoyuan Pilots) Rookie of the Year Chen Yu-Wei (Kaohsiung Steelers) Defensive Player of the Year Thomas Welsh (New Taipei Kings) GM of the Year Tsai Cherng-Ru (Taipei Fubon Braves) Gold Whistle Award Chen Hung-Ming Coach of the Year Lin Kuan-Lun (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) Most Improved Player Kenneth Chien (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) Best Home Court Hsinchu JKO Lioneers Best Dressed of the Year Chang Tsung-Hsien (Taipei Fubon Braves) Mr. Popular Lin Chih-Chieh (Taipei Fubon Braves) PLG Cheerleader Squad of the Year Formosa Sexy (Formosa Taishin Dreamers)
All-PLG First Team: Yang Chin-Min, New Taipei Kings Lee Kai-Yan, New Taipei Kings Sim Bhullar, Hsinchu JKO Lioneers Chen Yu-Wei, Kaohsiung Steelers Lu Cheng-Ju, Kaohsiung Steelers
All-PLG Second Team: Lin Chih-Chieh, Taipei Fubon Braves Thomas Welsh, New Taipei Kings Lu Chun-Hsiang, Taoyuan Pilots Kao Kuo-Hao, Hsinchu JKO Lioneers Kenneth Chien, Formosa Taishin Dreamers
All-Defensive Team: Lee Kai-Yan, New Taipei Kings Thomas Welsh, New Taipei Kings Kao Kuo-Hao, Hsinchu JKO Lioneers Kenneth Chien, Formosa Taishin Dreamers Chen Yu-Wei, Kaohsiung Steelers
Statistical awards + 2021–22 P. League+ statistical awards Award Recipient(s) ref Points Leader Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) Rebounds Leader Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) Assists Leader Lee Kai-Yan (New Taipei Kings) Blocks Leader Brandon Gilbeck (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) Steals Leader Chen Yu-Wei (Kaohsiung Steelers)
Finals + 2022 P. League+ Finals awards Award Recipient(s) ref Champion Taipei Fubon Braves Finals MVP Mike Singletary (Taipei Fubon Braves)
Players of the Week Preseason Week RecipientRef1 Kao Kuo-Hao (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers)2 Lu Cheng-Ju (Kaohsiung Steelers)3 Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers)
Regular season Week RecipientRef1 Mike Singletary (Taipei Fubon Braves) (1/2)2 Mike Singletary (Taipei Fubon Braves) (2/2)3 Lee Kai-Yan (New Taipei Kings) (1/1)4 Brendon Smart (Taipei Fubon Braves) (1/1)5 Lin Chih-Chieh (Taipei Fubon Braves) (1/1)6 Wang Po-Chih (Kaohsiung Steelers) (1/1)7 Lin Chun-Chi (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) (1/2)8 Lu Cheng-Ju (Kaohsiung Steelers) (1/1)9 Branden Dawson (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1)10 Chang Tsung-Hsien (Taipei Fubon Braves) (1/1)12 Devin Robinson (Taoyuan Pilots) (1/1)13 Nick Faust (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1)14 Lin Chun-Chi (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) (2/2)15 Yang Chin-Min (New Taipei Kings) (1/1)16 Kao Kuo-Hao (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1)17 Kuo Shao-Chieh (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1)18 Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1)19 Douglas Creighton (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) (1/1)20 Chen Yu-Wei (Kaohsiung Steelers) (1/1)
Players of the Month Month RecipientRefDecember Thomas Welsh (New Taipei Kings) (1/1)January Lu Cheng-Ju (Kaohsiung Steelers) (1/1)February Julian Boyd (Formosa Taishin Dreamers) (1/1)March Yang Chin-Min (New Taipei Kings) (1/1)April Sim Bhullar (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1)May Nick Faust (Hsinchu JKO Lioneers) (1/1)
Arenas The Kaohsiung Steelers announced on May 25, 2021, that they would play their home games at Fengshan Arena. 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. 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. The Taoyuan Pilots scheduled their first two home games at National Taiwan Sport University Arena. The Taoyuan Pilots relocated their last two rescheduled home games to Nanshan High School Gymnasium in New Taipei City, despite the latter one being cancelled on May 29.
Media The games were aired on television via FTV One and MOMOTV, and broadcast online on the YouTube official channel, 4gTV, and Yahoo! Sports.
References
External links