The 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup champion TNT and runner-up Barangay Ginebra are set to represent the country once the East Asia Super League pushes through with the home-and-away tournament slated in October.
The protagonists of the last conference’s finals showdown that lasted six games will be joining Korean Basketball League champion Anyang KGC which features Filipino star Rhenz Abando, runners-up SK Knights and the Hong Kong team Bay Area Dragons. The top two teams that will emerge from the Japan B. League and the champion of Taiwan’s P.League+ will complete the cast. PBA commissioner Willie Marcial confirmed that the teams have already been informed about the EASL stint and the league is ready to adjust its scheduling for the two teams since the PBA is also set for its return around October. The EASL games are only scheduled every Wednesday with the Kings and the Tropang Giga expected to play three home games and three away matches during the group stage. The home-and-away format will be applied for the first time in EASL after its initial plans of executing it last year was shelved still due to the threats of the Covid-19 pandemic. In exchange, EASL organized the Champion’s Week in Japan last March where Philippine Cup finalists San Miguel Beer and TNT represented the PBA. The two teams however suffered early exit in the tournament with the Beermen, bannered by imports Cameron Clark and Jessie Govan, ending up winless in the group stage while the Tropang Game also endured the same fate even with Daniel Ochefu and Jalen Hudson reinforcing the team.
*TNT and Ginebra will represent the country in the said home-and-away tiff. (File Photo/PBA Images)
*The protagonists of the last conference’s finals showdown that lasted six games will be joining Korean Basketball League champion Anyang KGC which features Filipino star Rhenz Abando, runners-up SK Knights and the Hong Kong team Bay Area Dragons. The top two teams that will emerge from the Japan B. League and the champion of Taiwan’s P.League+ will complete the cast. PBA commissioner Willie Marcial confirmed that the teams have already been informed about the EASL stint and the league is ready to adjust its scheduling for the two teams since the PBA is also set for its return around October. The EASL games are only scheduled every Wednesday with the Kings and the Tropang Giga expected to play three home games and three away matches during the group stage. The home-and-away format will be applied for the first time in EASL after its initial plans of executing it last year was shelved still due to the threats of the Covid-19 pandemic. In exchange, EASL organized the Champion’s Week in Japan last March where Philippine Cup finalists San Miguel Beer and TNT represented the PBA. The two teams however suffered early exit in the tournament with the Beermen, bannered by imports Cameron Clark and Jessie Govan, ending up winless in the group stage while the Tropang Game also endured the same fate even with Daniel Ochefu and Jalen Hudson reinforcing the team.