Grant Basile is doing whatever he wants in his new league
Grant Basile’s adventure in Taiwan began with a display of absolute physical and technical dominance. The Italian center, who joined the Kaohsiung Aquas for the 2026–2027 TPBL season, took just 80 minutes of play (plus overtime) to show Asian basketball what he’s made of, delivering two individual performances that redefine the concept of “immediate impact.”
His first official game, played on October 18 against the Formosa Dreamers, was an offensive masterclass. Basile remained on the court for the entire game (40 minutes), delivering a stunning debut with 36 points and 14 rebounds. The former Cantù player showcased his full repertoire as a modern big man: deadly in the paint (54.5% on two-pointers) and lethal from the perimeter, where he punished the opposing defense with an excellent 41.7% from beyond the arc (5-for-12 on threes). Despite an outright MVP-caliber performance, the joy was dampened by a bitter twist at the end, as the Aquas suffered a last-second 115-114 loss.
The hunger for redemption and the first win of the season came seven days later, on October 25, in a classic showdown against the Hsinchu Lioneers. In a marathon game decided only after two overtimes (132–129 for Kaohsiung), Basile raised the bar even higher under the boards, grabbing 17 rebounds and scoring another 31 points.
What made the evening memorable was the sensational inside chemistry with teammate Rosco Allen (who played in Italy for Scafati), who scored 42 points and grabbed 22 rebounds. Together, the Aquas’ “scoring twins” racked up an impressive 73 points and 39 rebounds, dominating the paint and securing the team’s first win of the season.
