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
CountryJapan
Dates1–5 March 2023
Season2023 East Asia Super League
Teams8
ChampionsSouth Korea Anyang KGC
Runners-upSouth Korea Seoul SK Knights
Third placeHong Kong Bay Area Dragons
Fourth placeJapan Ryukyu Golden Kings
Best playerUnited States Omari Spellman (Anyang)[1]

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

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]

LeagueCountry or RegionBerths
EASL (franchise team) Hong Kong1
P. League+ Chinese Taipei1
B.League Japan2
Korean Basketball League South Korea2
Philippine Basketball Association Philippines2

Qualified teams
TeamDomestic league standing
Hong Kong Bay Area DragonsN/A (EASL franchise)
Chinese Taipei Taipei Fubon Braves2021–22 P. League+ champions
Japan Utsunomiya Brex2021–22 B.League champions
Japan Ryukyu Golden Kings2021–22 B.League runners-up
South Korea Seoul SK Knights2021–22 Korean Basketball League champions
South Korea Anyang KGC2021–22 Korean Basketball League runners-up
Philippines San Miguel Beermen2022 PBA Philippine Cup champions
Philippines TNT Tropang Giga2022 PBA Philippine Cup runners-up

Imports

Each team can register two foreign players, plus an Asian heritage or naturalized player as imports.[13]

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

Venues

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.[14][15]

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

Draw

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.[16][17] 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][18] 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

On 10 January 2023, EASL released the full schedule for the tournament.[19] 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.[20]

Group A

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 South Korea Anyang KGC 2 2 0 236 156 +80 4[lower-alpha 1] Final
2 Japan Ryukyu Golden Kings 2 2 0 179 146 +33 4[lower-alpha 1] Third place game
3 Chinese Taipei Taipei Fubon Braves 2 0 2 147 177 −30 2
4 Philippines San Miguel Beermen 2 0 2 155 238 −83 2
Source: EASL
Notes:
  1. Anyang KGC +80 PD, Ryukyu Golden Kings +33 PD.[21]
1 March 2023
17:00
Taipei Fubon Braves Chinese Taipei 69–94 South Korea 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 Japan 96–68 Philippines 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 South Korea 142–87 Philippines 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 Japan 83–78 Chinese Taipei 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

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 South Korea Seoul SK Knights 2 2 0 172 153 +19 4 Final
2 Hong Kong Bay Area Dragons 2 1 1 180 182 −2 3[lower-alpha 1] Third place game
3 Japan Utsunomiya Brex 2 1 1 189 162 +27 3[lower-alpha 1]
4 Philippines TNT Tropang Giga 2 0 2 135 179 −44 2
Source: EASL
Notes:
  1. Bay Area Dragons 1–0 Utsunomiya Brex[22]

1 March 2023
19:30
Utsunomiya Brex Japan 99–66 Philippines 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 South Korea 92–84 Hong Kong 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 Philippines 69–80 South Korea 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 Japan 90–96 Hong Kong 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

Third place game
5 March 2023
16:00
Ryukyu Golden Kings Japan 70–90 Hong Kong 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
5 March 2023
19:00
Anyang KGC South Korea 90–84 South Korea 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
Rank Team Record
1st place, gold medalist(s) South Korea Anyang KGC3–0
2nd place, silver medalist(s) South Korea Seoul SK Knights2–1
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Hong Kong Bay Area Dragons2–1
4 Japan Ryukyu Golden Kings2–1
Eliminated at group stage
5–8 Japan Utsunomiya Brex1–1
Chinese Taipei Taipei Fubon Braves0–2
Philippines TNT Tropang Giga0–2
Philippines San Miguel Beermen0–2

References
  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. "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. "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. Henson, Joaquin (16 June 2022). "EASL draw set in Manila". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  13. Henson, Joaquin M. (17 February 2023). "Gearing up for EASL". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  14. "EASL Champions Week to be held in Japan". The Manila Times. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  15. Odeven, Ed (28 February 2023). "EASL Champions Week Set to Tip Off in Utsunomiya | JAPAN Forward". japan-forward.com. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  16. "EASL sets June 28 draw in Manila". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  17. "East Asia Super League unveils group draw for debut season". South China Morning Post. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  18. Giongco, Mark (28 June 2022). "PBA Philippine Cup champion grouped with Taipei, Anyang, Ryukyu". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  19. "East Asia Super League Reveals EASL Champions Week Matchups and Game Schedule". East Asia Super League. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  20. "KGC, SK Knights jet off to Japan for EASL Champions Week". Korea JoongAngDaily. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  21. 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.
  22. 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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