Wikipedia

2023 EASL Champions Week

The 2023 EASL Champions Week was the first 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, as well as a franchise team representing Greater China.[2][3] The Champions Week was held from 1 to 5 March 2023.[4]

2023 EASL Champions Week
Tournament details
CountryJapan
Dates1–5 March 2023
Season2023
Teams8
Final positions
ChampionsSouth Korea Anyang KGC
Runner-upSouth Korea Seoul SK Knights
Third placeHong Kong Bay Area Dragons
Fourth placeJapan Ryukyu Golden Kings
Tournament statistics
Best playerUnited States Omari Spellman (Anyang)[1]
← 2019 (pre-season tournaments era)
2023–24 →

The Champions Week was conceptualized after the regular season was postponed. The regular season was originally scheduled to be held from 12 October 2022 to February 2023, under a home and away format and a Final Four knockout stage.[5]

The winners received USD 250,000, while the runners-up and third-place teams received USD 100,000 and USD 50,000, respectively.[6][7]

Originally held as a preseason tournament, it was retroactively designated as the first season by its organizers with the succeeding league tournament as the second season.[8]

Team allocation edit

The eight teams which qualified for the then-2022–23 EASL season qualified for the Champions Week.[9] Four leagues are represented for the 2023 EASL. The champions and runners-up of the Japan B.League and the Korean Basketball League[10] as well as the champions of Taiwan's P. League+[11] Hong Kong based Bay Area Chun Yu Phoenixes, a franchise team not part of any domestic league also participated. The league considers the P. League+ champions and the Phoenixes as representatives of "Greater China".[5] For the Philippines, the top two finishing teams of the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup qualified.[12]

League Country or region Berths
EASL (franchise team)   Hong Kong 1
P. League+   Chinese Taipei[a] 1
B.League   Japan 2
Korean Basketball League   South Korea 2
Philippine Basketball Association   Philippines 2

Qualified teams edit

Team Domestic league standing
  Bay Area Dragons N/A (EASL franchise)
  Taipei Fubon Braves 2021–22 P. League+ champions
  Utsunomiya Brex 2021–22 B.League champions
  Ryukyu Golden Kings 2021–22 B.League runners-up
  Seoul SK Knights 2021–22 Korean Basketball League champions
  Anyang KGC 2021–22 Korean Basketball League runners-up
  San Miguel Beermen 2022 PBA Philippine Cup champions
  TNT Tropang Giga 2022 PBA Philippine Cup runners-up

Imports edit

Each team can select two foreigners into active roster in each game,[13] plus an Asian heritage import or naturalized player.[14]

Team Foreigner Heritage player
  Bay Area Dragons   Andrew Nicholson   Myles Powell —   Sedrick Barefield
  Taipei Fubon Braves   Ihor Zaytsev   Mike Singletary   Chris Johnson —
  Utsunomiya Brex   Grant Jerrett   Josh Scott —   Yang Jae-min
  Ryukyu Golden Kings   Allen Durham   Jack Cooley —   Carl Tamayo
  Seoul SK Knights   Leon Williams   Jameel Warney — —
  Anyang KGC   Omari Spellman   Darryl Monroe —   Rhenz Abando
  San Miguel Beermen   Cameron Clark   Jessie Govan — —
  TNT Tropang Giga   Jalen Hudson   Daniel Ochefu — —

Venues edit

Games were held in Japan, on the home venues of the two qualified Japanese teams – Utsunomiya Brex and the Ryukyu Golden Kings. There were ten games in total. Utsunomiya hosted six of the eight group stage games, while Ryukyu hosted the remaining two games, as well as the third place game and final.[15][16]

Okinawa City Utsunomiya
 
 
Okinawa
 
Nikkan
2023 EASL Champions Week (Japan)
Okinawa Arena Nikkan Arena Tochigi
Capacity: 10,000 Capacity: 5,000
   

Draw edit

The official draw for the 2022–23 EASL season was held on 28 June 2022 at the Shangri-La at the Fort, Manila in Taguig.[17][18] For the Champions Week the groupings were retained.[9]

The teams were drawn in two groups. A coin flipping mechanic was used; each champion in each domestic league was to choose a coin side. The winner of the coin flip was placed on Group A while the other placed in Group B.[12][19] The identity of the Philippine representatives were yet to be determined at the time of the draw.

Another draw was held to determine the schedule of the games.[9]

Group stage edit

On 10 January 2023, EASL released the full schedule for the tournament.[20] Each team in each of the two groups would face only two of three of the other teams in their group unlike in a traditional round robin format.[21]

Group A edit

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Anyang KGC 2 2 0 236 156 +80 4[b] Final
2   Ryukyu Golden Kings 2 2 0 179 146 +33 4[b] Third place game
3   Taipei Fubon Braves 2 0 2 147 177 −30 2
4   San Miguel Beermen 2 0 2 155 238 −83 2
Source: EASL
Notes:
  1. ^ Taiwan, officially Republic of China. The organizers of the EASL[5] and FIBA uses the designation of "Chinese Taipei".
  2. ^ a b Anyang KGC +80 PD, Ryukyu Golden Kings +33 PD.[22]
1 March 2023
17:00
Taipei Fubon Braves   69–94   Anyang KGC
Scoring by quarter: 19–24, 17–25, 21–22, 12–23
Pts: Zaytsev 20
Rebs: Singletary 15
Asts: Singletary 6		 Pts: Spellman 22
Rebs: Monroe 25
Asts: Monroe 7
Nikkan Arena Tochigi, Utsunomiya
2 March 2023
19:30
Ryukyu Golden Kings   96–68   San Miguel Beermen
Scoring by quarter: 24–17, 25–11, 21–20, 26–20
Pts: Cooley, Imamura 20
Rebs: Cooley, Durham 16
Asts: Durham 7		 Pts: Clark 25
Rebs: Tautuaa 10
Asts: Enciso 6
Nikkan Arena Tochigi, Utsunomiya
4 March 2023
16:00
Anyang KGC   142–87   San Miguel Beermen
Scoring by quarter: 40–20, 29–16, 40–29, 33–22
Pts: Spellman 53
Rebs: Monroe 17
Asts: Monroe 14		 Pts: Clark 35
Rebs: Clark 10
Asts: Perez 5
4 March 2023
19:00
Ryukyu Golden Kings   83–78   Taipei Fubon Braves
Scoring by quarter: 20–20, 25–25, 23–8, 15–25
Pts: Cooley 24
Rebs: Cooley 13
Asts: Kishimoto 7		 Pts: Johnson 28
Rebs: Johnson 9
Asts: Chou, Zaytsev 4

Group B edit

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Seoul SK Knights 2 2 0 172 153 +19 4 Final
2   Bay Area Dragons 2 1 1 180 182 −2 3[a] Third place game
3   Utsunomiya Brex 2 1 1 189 162 +27 3[a]
4   TNT Tropang Giga 2 0 2 135 179 −44 2
Source: EASL
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Bay Area Dragons 1–0 Utsunomiya Brex[23]
1 March 2023
19:30
Utsunomiya Brex   99–66   TNT Tropang Giga
Scoring by quarter: 25–26, 32–8, 22–21, 20–11
Pts: Scott 24
Rebs: Scott 14
Asts: Hiejima 6		 Pts: Hudson 28
Rebs: Ochefu 9
Asts: Oftana 3
Nikkan Arena Tochigi, Utsunomiya
2 March 2023
17:00
Seoul SK Knights   92–84   Bay Area Dragons
Scoring by quarter: 18–20, 24–27, 22–20, 28–17
Pts: Warney 30
Rebs: Warney 19
Asts: Kim, Warney 7		 Pts: Nicholson 35
Rebs: Nicholson 15
Asts: Powell 8
Nikkan Arena Tochigi, Utsunomiya


3 March 2023
17:00
TNT Tropang Giga   69–80   Seoul SK Knights
Scoring by quarter: 28–25, 14–16, 13–16, 14–23
Pts: Oftana 16
Rebs: Ochefu 12
Asts: M. Williams 4		 Pts: Kim, Warney 21
Rebs: Williams 21
Asts: Warney 11
Nikkan Arena Tochigi, Utsunomiya
3 March 2023
19:30
Utsunomiya Brex   90–96   Bay Area Dragons
Scoring by quarter: 17–23, 32–24, 16–26, 25–23
Pts: Jerrett 22
Rebs: Scott 12
Asts: Hiejima 7		 Pts: Nicholson 26
Rebs: Nicholson 12
Asts: Powell 10
Nikkan Arena Tochigi, Utsunomiya

Final round edit

Third place game edit

5 March 2023
16:00
Ryukyu Golden Kings   70–90   Bay Area Dragons
Scoring by quarter: 14–16, 14–28, 23–30, 19–16
Pts: Durham 19
Rebs: Watanabe 8
Asts: Flippin 5		 Pts: Powell 29
Rebs: Nicholson 8
Asts: Yang 5

Final edit

5 March 2023
19:00
Anyang KGC   90–84   Seoul SK Knights
Scoring by quarter: 25–27, 24–10, 17–24, 24–23
Pts: Monroe 21
Rebs: Monroe 16
Asts: Byeon, Monroe 5		 Pts: Kim 25
Rebs: Williams 10
Asts: Kim, Oh 6

Final standing edit

Rank Team Record
    Anyang KGC 3–0
    Seoul SK Knights 2–1
    Bay Area Dragons 2–1
4   Ryukyu Golden Kings 2–1
Eliminated at group stage
5–8   Utsunomiya Brex 1–1
  Taipei Fubon Braves 0–2
  TNT Tropang Giga 0–2
  San Miguel Beermen 0–2

References edit

  1. ^ Odeven, Ed (5 March 2023). "Anyang Tops Seoul to End EASL Champions Week on a High Note | SportsLook". SportsLook. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  2. ^ "EASL 2022–2023 Season". East Asia Super League. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. 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. ^ Ulanday, John Bryan (8 December 2022). "EASL tuloy na sa Marso sa Japan" [EASL resumes in March in Japan]. Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Filipino). Philippine Star. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "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.
  6. ^ "East Asia Super League Announces Broadcast and Streaming Partners for EASL Champions Week | EASL". East Asia Super League. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  7. ^ Dalupang, Denison Rey A. (1 March 2023). "All you need to know about the EASL Champion's Week". INQUIRER. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  8. ^ "East Asia Super League to return with new format for second season". Korea JoongAng Daily. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "Super League shakes up Asian hoops". China Daily. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  11. ^ "P.League+ winner to play in East Asian tournament – Taipei Times". Taipei Times. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  12. ^ a b Henson, Joaquin (16 June 2022). "EASL draw set in Manila". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  13. ^ 吳孟儒 (2 March 2023). "東超「改款」冠軍週 賽程縮水不減料". 自由時報. Retrieved 8 November 2023. 此外，每支隊伍每場可登錄2名洋將，另開放亞洲外援，至於洋將之外的華裔球員、外籍生都算是本土球員。
  14. ^ Henson, Joaquin M. (17 February 2023). "Gearing up for EASL". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  15. ^ "EASL Champions Week to be held in Japan". The Manila Times. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  16. ^ Odeven, Ed (28 February 2023). "EASL Champions Week Set to Tip Off in Utsunomiya". Japan Forward. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  17. ^ "EASL sets June 28 draw in Manila". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  18. ^ "East Asia Super League unveils group draw for debut season". South China Morning Post. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  19. ^ Giongco, Mark (28 June 2022). "PBA Philippine Cup champion grouped with Taipei, Anyang, Ryukyu". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  20. ^ "East Asia Super League Reveals EASL Champions Week Matchups and Game Schedule". East Asia Super League. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  21. ^ "KGC, SK Knights jet off to Japan for EASL Champions Week". Korea JoongAngDaily. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  22. ^ Terrado, Reuben. "Carl Tamayo scores 13 in home debut as Ryukyu sweeps EASL group games". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 4 March 2023. Despite ending up undefeated, however, Ryukyu was relegated to the battle for third place due to a lower point differential with Anyang KGC.
  23. ^ Terrado, Reuben (3 March 2023). "Bay Area Dragons beat Brex to book spot in EASL third-place playoff". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 3 March 2023. The Dragons ended up in a tie with the Brex, but they advanced to the battle-for-third due to the winner-over-the-other tiebreak rule.
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