2023–24 East Asia Super League

The 2023–24 East Asia Super League was the second regular season of the East Asia Super League, an international basketball club competition involving teams from domestic leagues in Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Taiwan.[2][3] The season started on 11 October 2023, and ended on 10 March 2024.

East Asia Super League
Season2023–24
Duration11 October 2023 – 10 March 2024
Teams8
Final Four
ChampionsJapan Chiba Jets
  Runners-upSouth Korea Seoul SK Knights
Third placeSouth Korea Anyang JKJ Red Boosters
Fourth placeChinese Taipei New Taipei Kings
Final Four MVPJapan Yuki Togashi[1] (Chiba Jets)
Records
Biggest home winSeoul SK Knights 89–57 New Taipei Kings
(31 January 2024)
Biggest away winAnyang JKJ Red Boosters 69–102 Chiba Jets
(13 December 2023)
Highest scoringChiba Jets 115–98 Anyang JKJ Red Boosters
(10 January 2024)
Seasons

Originally set to be held from 12 October 2022 to February 2023 under a in home and away format and a Final Four knockout stage,[4] the start of the EASL regular season was postponed to October 2023.[5][6]

The 2023 EASL Champions Week was organized in March as a pre-season tournament.[6] The tournament was retroactively considered as the EASL's first season. The 2023–24 season is tagged by the organizers as its second season.[7]

The Chiba Jets won the championship after defeating Seoul SK Knights in the final in the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines.

Team allocation

edit

Four leagues are represented for the 2023–24 EASL, namely the champions and runners-up of the Japanese B.League, the Korean Basketball League, the Philippine Basketball Association, and the Taiwanese P. League+.[8][9]

Prior to the postponement of the season, each of the top two finishing teams of the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup, 2021–22 B.League season, 2021–22 Korean Basketball League, and the champions of the 2021–22 P. League+ season qualified.[10] Initially, the Philippine allocation was unclear since the Philippine Basketball Association holds multiple conferences or tournaments across a single season. Among the possibilities were drawing of lots among the top four PBA teams, forming a selection team or entering the national team.[11][12] Champions San Miguel Beermen and runners-up TNT Tropang Giga qualified for the EASL season.

However, the PBA later decided that the top two finishing teams of the already finished 2023 PBA Governors' Cup, namely TNT Tropang Giga and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, will qualify instead.[13] Furthermore, Barangay Ginebra withdrew for undisclosed reasons and were replaced by semifinalists Meralco Bolts shortly prior to the start of the league.[14]

It was also determined that the qualified teams from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are based from the 2022–23 season instead of the 2021–22 season.[15] The qualified teams remained largely the same; Utsunomiya Brex originally qualified under the old format. The Chiba Jets qualified instead.

Hong Kong based Chun Yu Bay Area Dragons, a franchise team, were also expected participate. However, the EASL announced the Dragons' disbandment on 1 September 2023 reportedly due to financial reasons.[16] They were later replaced by the 2022–23 P. League+ runners-up New Taipei Kings.[17][18]

The league considers the P. League+ teams as the representatives of the "Greater China".[4]

Each team may have 12-men roster with two foreign players and an additional Asian player.[4]

League Country or region Berths
Franchise team   Hong Kong 1 0
P. League+   Chinese Taipei[note 1] 1+1
B.League   Japan 2
Korean Basketball League   South Korea 2
Philippine Basketball Association   Philippines 2

Qualified teams

edit
Team Domestic league standing
  Chun Yu Bay Area Dragons[note 2] N/A (EASL franchise)
  Taipei Fubon Braves 2022–23 P. League+ champions
  New Taipei Kings 2022–23 P. League+ runners-up
  Ryukyu Golden Kings 2022–23 B.League champions
  Chiba Jets 2022–23 B.League runners-up
  Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters 2022–23 Korean Basketball League champions
  Seoul SK Knights 2022–23 Korean Basketball League runners-up
  TNT Tropang Giga 2023 PBA Governors' Cup champions
  Meralco Bolts[note 3] 2023 PBA Governors' Cup semifinalist

Preparation

edit

Original draw and format

edit

The initial official draw for the 2022–23 EASL season was held on 28 June 2022 at the Shangri-La at the Fort, Manila in Taguig.[19][20]

The teams initially were drawn in two groups. A coin flipping mechanic were used; each champion in each domestic league were made to choose a coin side. The winner of the coin flip were placed on Group A while the other placed in Group B.[10][21]

Each club was to play all the other clubs twice in home and away matches starting from 12 October 2022 to February 2023, with two EASL Group Stage games taking place every Wednesday night.[4] The final four were to be play in a venue in Metro Manila in the Philippines in March 2023.[22][4][23]

Postponement and resumption

edit

A few weeks before the supposed opening day, the league announced the cancellation of the home and away season, instead pushing through with a "Champions Week" that was initially announced to be held in Manila in early 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic was blamed for the cancellation.[24] Japan was later named the host country for this event.[25] The original groups for the postponed season were also the groupings for the Champions Week.

A new draw was held for the EASL season on 21 June 2023.[15]

Champions Week

edit

In December, EASL announced that the Champions Week will be hosted by the qualifying Japanese teams, with the Utsunomiya Brex hosting the first six games, while the Ryukyu Golden Kings hosting the last six games at the Okinawa Arena.[25] The Champions Week would be tagged as a "special tournament" which would proceed the start of the inaugural season proper.[6]

Group stage

edit

Group A

edit
Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Qualification
1   Chiba Jets 6 6 0 546 450 +96 Semifinals
2   Anyang JKJ Red Boosters 6 4 2 542 537 +5
3   TNT Tropang Giga 6 1[a] 5 491 536 −45
4   Taipei Fubon Braves 6 1[a] 5 464 520 −56
Source: EASL
Notes:
  1. ^ a b TNT Tropang Giga 177–175 Taipei Fubon Braves
11 October 2023 Chiba Jets   93–75   TNT Tropang Giga Funabashi
19:00 (JST) Scoring by quarter: 21–22, 24–22, 26–12, 22–19
Pts: Brown, Stephens 19
Rebs: Brown 12
Asts: Ogawa 6
Boxscore Pts: Miller 22
Rebs: Hollis-Jefferson 9
Asts: Hollis-Jefferson, Montalbo 5
Arena: Funabashi Arena
Attendance: 3,667
18 October 2023 Taipei Fubon Braves   82–850(OT)   Chiba Jets Taipei
19:00 (TST) Scoring by quarter: 20–15, 22–14, 13–18, 19–27Overtime: 8–11
Pts: Singletary 29
Rebs: Singletary 18
Asts: Barefield, Singletary 4
Boxscore Pts: Togashi 38
Rebs: Mutts 12
Asts: Togashi 7
Arena: National Taiwan University Sports Center
Attendance: 3,889
25 October 2023 Anyang JKJ Red Boosters   98–77   Taipei Fubon Braves Anyang
19:00 (KST) Scoring by quarter: 31–17, 29–23, 17–23, 21–14
Pts: Bae 18
Rebs: Monroe 9
Asts: Monroe 10
Boxscore Pts: Barefield, Johnson 18
Rebs: Johnson 9
Asts: Johnson 6
Arena: Anyang Gymnasium
Attendance: 1,022
1 November 2023 TNT Tropang Giga   66–75   Chiba Jets Santa Rosa
19:00 (PST) Scoring by quarter: 14–23, 18–27, 24–14, 10–11
Pts: Miller 22
Rebs: Miller 13
Asts: Castro, Oftana 3
Boxscore Pts: Mooney 30
Rebs: Mooney 16
Asts: Togashi 5
Arena: City of Santa Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex
15 November 2023 Taipei Fubon Braves   106–97   TNT Tropang Giga Taipei
19:00 (TST) Scoring by quarter: 31–34, 23–18, 30–23, 22–22
Pts: Johnson 29
Rebs: Singletary 9
Asts: Barefield 7
Boxscore Pts: Miller 34
Rebs: Miller 10
Asts: Hollis-Jefferson 10
Arena: Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium
6 December 2023 Anyang JKJ Red Boosters   105–97   TNT Tropang Giga Anyang
19:00 (KST) Scoring by quarter: 32–26, 26–18, 22–23, 25–30
Pts: Choi 24
Rebs: Monroe 10
Asts: Park 10
Boxscore Pts: Miller 35
Rebs: Miller 9
Asts: Hollis-Jefferson, Montalbo 5
Arena: Anyang Gymnasium
13 December 2023 Anyang JKJ Red Boosters   69–102   Chiba Jets Anyang
19:00 (KST) Scoring by quarter: 21–22, 18–27, 14–28, 16–25
Pts: Abando 17
Rebs: Monroe 11
Asts: Park 4
Boxscore Pts: Mooney 22
Rebs: Mooney 22
Asts: three players 5
Arena: Anyang Gymnasium
20 December 2023 TNT Tropang Giga   80–69   Taipei Fubon Braves Santa Rosa
19:00 (PST) Scoring by quarter: 17–21, 31–21, 14–16, 18–11
Pts: Ro. Hollis-Jefferson 35
Rebs: Ro. Hollis-Jefferson 11
Asts: Ro. Hollis-Jefferson 5
Boxscore Pts: Johnson 19
Rebs: Johnson 20
Asts: Chou 6
Arena: City of Santa Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex
27 December 2023 Chiba Jets   76–60   Taipei Fubon Braves Funabashi
19:00 (JST) Scoring by quarter: 17–14, 20–16, 21–13, 18–17
Pts: Mooney 21
Rebs: Cooks, Mooney 15
Asts: Togashi 6
Boxscore Pts: Barefield 16
Rebs: Zimmerman 13
Asts: five players 1
Arena: Funabashi Arena
Attendance: 4,125
10 January 2024 Chiba Jets   115–98   Anyang JKJ Red Boosters Funabashi
19:00 (JST) Scoring by quarter: 24–24, 26–31, 36–19, 29–24
Pts: Cooks 28
Rebs: Cooks 13
Asts: Cooks 8
Boxscore Pts: Carter 27
Rebs: four players 3
Asts: Choi 8
Arena: Funabashi Arena
Attendance: 3,774
24 January 2024 TNT Tropang Giga   76–88   Anyang JKJ Red Boosters Pasig
19:00 (PST) Scoring by quarter: 19–34, 22–19, 20–18, 15–17
Pts: Ro. Hollis-Jefferson 33
Rebs: Ra. Hollis-Jefferson 12
Asts: Ro. Hollis-Jefferson 7
Boxscore Pts: Choi 23
Rebs: Carter, Wilson 14
Asts: Carter, Park 7
Arena: PhilSports Arena
7 February 2024 Taipei Fubon Braves   70–84   Anyang JKJ Red Boosters Taipei
19:00 (TST) Scoring by quarter: 19–28, 20–28, 16–18, 15–10
Pts: Zaytsev 17
Rebs: Patton 11
Asts: Zaytsev 8
Boxscore Pts: Carter 21
Rebs: Carter 13
Asts: Wilson 7
Arena: Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium

Group B

edit
Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Qualification
1   Seoul SK Knights 6 4[a] 2 475 438 +37 Semifinals
2   New Taipei Kings 6 4[a] 2 467 483 −16
3   Ryukyu Golden Kings 6 3 3 479 453 +26
4   Meralco Bolts 6 1 5 469 516 −47
Source: EASL
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Seoul SK Knights 161–147 New Taipei Kings
18 October 2023 Ryukyu Golden Kings   80–79   Seoul SK Knights Okinawa
19:00 (JST) Scoring by quarter: 27–20, 12–20, 22–18, 19–21
Pts: Imamura 18
Rebs: Law 13
Asts: Law 6
Boxscore Pts: Warney 39
Rebs: Warney, Williams 10
Asts: Oh J. 5
Arena: Okinawa Arena
Attendance: 5,526
1 November 2023 Seoul SK Knights   82–69   Ryukyu Golden Kings Goyang
19:00 (KST) Scoring by quarter: 24–17, 18–17, 26–19, 14–16
Pts: Williams 23
Rebs: Williams 17
Asts: Kim S. 8
Boxscore Pts: Imamura 15
Rebs: Tamayo 7
Asts: Durham 7
Arena: Goyang Sono Arena
Attendance: 1,164
8 November 2023 New Taipei Kings   90–72   Seoul SK Knights New Taipei City
19:00 (TST) Scoring by quarter: 21–29, 22–14, 26–15, 21–14
Pts: Manigault 22
Rebs: Manigault 11
Asts: Je. Lin 9
Boxscore Pts: Warney 45
Rebs: Warney, Williams 11
Asts: Kim S. 4
Arena: Xinzhuang Gymnasium
15 November 2023 Ryukyu Golden Kings   89–61   Meralco Bolts Okinawa
19:00 (JST) Scoring by quarter: 17–21, 31–13, 21–13, 20–14
Pts: Imamura 19
Rebs: Durham 9
Asts: Durham 6
Boxscore Pts: Newsome 11
Rebs: Ibeh 9
Asts: Caram 4
Arena: Okinawa Arena
Attendance: 6,120
29 November 2023 New Taipei Kings   97–92   Meralco Bolts New Taipei City
19:00 (TST) Scoring by quarter: 25–30, 20–18, 20–18, 32–26
Pts: Je. Lin 25
Rebs: Anigwe 14
Asts: Je. Lin 7
Boxscore Pts: Lofton 35
Rebs: Ibeh, Newsome 6
Asts: Newsome 4
Arena: Xinzhuang Gymnasium
13 December 2023 Meralco Bolts   97–880(OT)   Ryukyu Golden Kings Macau, China
19:00 (CST) Scoring by quarter: 17–21, 21–16, 19–20, 23–23, Overtime: 17–8
Pts: Lofton 35
Rebs: Ibeh 12
Asts: three players 3
Boxscore Pts: Law 27
Rebs: Cooley 13
Asts: Law 6
Arena: Studio City Event Center
27 December 2023 Meralco Bolts   80–81   Seoul SK Knights Pasig
19:00 (PST) Scoring by quarter: 20–20, 13–25, 23–19, 24–17
Pts: Lofton 32
Rebs: Ibeh 11
Asts: Newsome 6
Boxscore Pts: Warney 31
Rebs: Williams 8
Asts: Warney 6
Arena: PhilSports Arena
3 January 2024 Meralco Bolts   77–89   New Taipei Kings Pasig
19:00 (PST) Scoring by quarter: 21–21, 26–21, 11–24, 77–89
Pts: Lofton 20
Rebs: Ibeh 7
Asts: Lofton 4
Boxscore Pts: Je. Lin 23
Rebs: Anigwe, Je. Lin 10
Asts: Je. Lin, Manigault 4
Arena: PhilSports Arena
10 January 2024 New Taipei Kings   67–63   Ryukyu Golden Kings New Taipei City
19:00 (TST) Scoring by quarter: 18–15, 19–14, 15–18, 15–16
Pts: Manigault 16
Rebs: Manigault 13
Asts: Je. Lin 6
Boxscore Pts: Tamayo 16
Rebs: Cooley 10
Asts: Imamura 6
Arena: Xinzhuang Gymnasium
Attendance: 5,207
24 January 2024 Ryukyu Golden Kings   90–67   New Taipei Kings Okinawa
19:00 (JST) Scoring by quarter: 18–19, 17–21, 29–14, 26–13
Pts: Durham 21
Rebs: Law 9
Asts: Kishimoto 11
Boxscore Pts: Blankley 16
Rebs: Anigwe 9
Asts: Lee 4
Arena: Okinawa Arena
Attendance: 6,769
31 January 2024 Seoul SK Knights   89–57   New Taipei Kings Seoul
19:00 (KST) Scoring by quarter: 24–16, 17–21, 23–15, 25–5
Pts: Warney 34
Rebs: Warney 18
Asts: Yang 7
Boxscore Pts: Mitchell 12
Rebs: Anigwe 10
Asts: Jo. Lin 7
Arena: Jamsil Students' Gymnasium
7 February 2024 Seoul SK Knights   72–62   Meralco Bolts Seoul
19:00 (KST) Scoring by quarter: 14–13, 18–17, 17–18, 23–14
Pts: Williams 25
Rebs: Williams 19
Asts: Choi W. 14
Boxscore Pts: Miller 23
Rebs: Tew 21
Asts: three players 3
Arena: Jamsil Students' Gymnasium

Final round

edit

The final round was held at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines.[26][27]

Semifinals

edit
Note: All times are Philippine Standard Time (UTC+8).
8 March 2024
17:00
Chiba Jets   92–84   New Taipei Kings
Scoring by quarter: 32–25, 18–22, 16–20, 26–17
Pts: Togashi 28
Rebs: Cooks 23
Asts: Togashi 5
Pts: Jo. Lin 21
Rebs: Manigault 6
Asts: Jo. Lin 5
8 March 2024
20:00
Seoul SK Knights   94–79   Anyang JKJ Red Boosters
Scoring by quarter: 23–26, 22–14, 22–18, 27–21
Pts: Warney 38
Rebs: Warney 16
Asts: Choi W. 10
Pts: Carter 21
Rebs: Carter 9
Asts: Park 9

Third place game

edit
10 March 2024
16:00
Anyang JKJ Red Boosters   78–76   New Taipei Kings
Scoring by quarter: 18–13, 26–20, 20–24, 14–19
Pts: Park 29
Rebs: Carter 15
Asts: Choi 5
Pts: Manigault 18
Rebs: Manigault 10
Asts: Jo. Lin 7

Final

edit
10 March 2024
19:00
Seoul SK Knights   69–72   Chiba Jets
Scoring by quarter: 16–21, 18–16, 20–14, 15–21
Pts: Warney 22
Rebs: Warney 17
Asts: Oh J., Warney 5
Pts: Togashi 24
Rebs: Mooney 16
Asts: Togashi 7
Hoops Dome, Lapu-Lapu City
Attendance: 4,234

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Taiwan, officially Republic of China. The organizers of the EASL[4] and FIBA uses the designation of "Chinese Taipei".
  2. ^ Disbanded prior to the start of the season.
  3. ^ Replaced 2023 PBA Governor's Cup runners-up Barangay Ginebra San Miguel

References

edit
  1. ^ Ramos, Gerry (11 March 2024). "Five-foot-six Yuki Togashi named EASL Final Four MVP". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  2. ^ "EASL 2022–2023 Season". East Asia Super League. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  3. ^ Naredo, Camille (2 December 2021). "PBA wants to prove it is best in Asia through EASL". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "East Asia Super League Debuts Season 1 of Premier Home-and-Away Pan-Regional League in 2022". East Asia Super League. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022. The newly formed Bay Area Chun Yu Phoenixes and the championship team from Chinese Taipei's P.LEAGUE+, are the Greater China representatives.
  5. ^ "East Asia Super League Prepares to Update Season 1 Format". East Asia Super League. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "EASL secures US$40m to fund expansion, CEO Bayer talks up 'bullish' outlook". South China Morning Post. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  7. ^ "East Asia Super League to return with new format for second season". Korea JoongAng Daily. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Super League shakes up Asian hoops". China Daily. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  9. ^ "P.League+ winner to play in East Asian tournament – Taipei Times". Taipei Times. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  10. ^ a b Henson, Joaquin (16 June 2022). "EASL draw set in Manila". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  11. ^ "PBA won't rule out sending Gilas to maiden EASL tournament". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  12. ^ Henson, Joaquin (16 June 2022). "EASL draw set in Manila". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  13. ^ Garcia, John Mark (22 May 2023). "TNT, Ginebra slated to play in EASL tournament in October". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  14. ^ Villanueva, Ralph Edwin (15 September 2023). "Meralco takes Ginebra's slot in EASL". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  15. ^ a b "East Asia Super League Season 2 groups set at draw ceremony in Hong Kong". easl.basketball. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  16. ^ Li, Matthew (1 September 2023). "EASL disbands Bay Area Dragons ahead of PBA Comm's Cup". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  17. ^ "EASL enhances partnership with P. League+ and welcomes league's runner-up team to first home-and-away season". easl.basketball. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  18. ^ Ramos, Gerry (5 September 2023). "EASL welcomes New Taipei Kings after Bay Area Dragons disbandment". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  19. ^ "EASL sets June 28 draw in Manila". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  20. ^ "East Asia Super League unveils group draw for debut season". South China Morning Post. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  21. ^ Giongco, Mark (28 June 2022). "PBA Philippine Cup champion grouped with Taipei, Anyang, Ryukyu". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  22. ^ "East Asia Super League – EASL 2022–2023 Season". easl.basketball. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  23. ^ Ramos, Gerry (17 August 2022). "Manila chosen as host for inaugural EASL Final Four". Spin.ph. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  24. ^ "'Champions Week' eyed as EASL cancels home-and-away season". Manila Bulletin. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  25. ^ a b "East Asia Super League to begin with Champions Week in Japan". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Jeremy Lin and Japan captain Yuki Togashi among the stars set to play on March 8–10". 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  27. ^ "Cebu hosts EASL Final Four". Tiebreaker Times. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
edit