Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
BEN SIM came up huge as Brunei completed a sweep of the Borneo Cup veteran category after defeating Miri 59-49 to win gold on Sunday.
The country finished top of the podium in the category for the first time since 2008 - their sixth title overall.
Sim carried the offensive load for Brunei with a game-high of 25 points at the BBA Court in Batu Bersurat.
No other player hit double figures as Kenny Lim and Esmond Tan finished with eight and seven respectively.
On the other hand, Voon Yiew Ting topscored for Miri with 13 points before fouling out.
Chuah Pueh Yii contributed 12 and Lee Ching Yi chipped in 10 to a losing cause.
It was neck-and-neck as the Sultanate took a 16-15 lead going into the second period.
Sim and Lim put up all the points for the hosts with 10 and six respectively.
Miri couldn't get anything going in the second frame.
It allowed Brunei to open up a 27-17 advantage.
Miri ended their drought with a three and eventually closed the gap to a single possession.
Brunei went without a field goal for over five minutes before Tan hit a jumper to see them carry a 33-24 lead into the break.
Both sides struggled to get the ball through the hoop after the interval.
Lim made an interception at midcourt and finished a layup to put Brunei up 37-26 with under six minutes left in the third.
Miri hit a trey late on to see them stay within reach at 40-34 going into the decisive period.
Miri got themselves to within a single possession at 43-40 but Voon fouled out with around four minutes left to play.
The Sultanate scored five unanswered points with a Sim trey followed by a Tan layup.
Miri couldn't find a field goal and Sim hit a corner three with 2 minutes on the clock to make it 57-46.
Miri were simply out of gas and the match was put out of reach.
Tan found a cutting Tse Tow Joon Yen off the inbounds for an open layup to give Brunei their largest lead at 59-46 enroute to victory.
Kota Kinabalu claimed the silver after defeating Labuan 83-57.
