LAPU-LAPU CITY – The Chiba Jets and Seoul SK Knights arranged a dream showdown pitting the top two teams of the East Asia Super League (EASL) for the championship of its first ever home and away season.
The top seeded Jets survived a huge fightback by upset-conscious New Taipei Kings for a 92-84 come-from-behind win, while the no. 2 Knights dethroned defending champion Anyang Jung Kwan Jang and Rhenz Abando in an all-Korean clash, 94-79, in Friday night’s Final Four before a capacity crowd at the Hoops Dome.
The B. League side battles its Korean Basketball League counterpart on Sunday at 7 p.m. for the title and the $1 million prize money.
“Our job isn’t finished, but I’m really proud of the guys for finding a way to win,” said Chiba Jets coach John Patrick following the win against a resilient New Taipei side that played without injured star Jeremy Lin.
Yuki Togashi, the captain of the Japanese national team, willed the Jets back after trailing by as many as six late in the third quarter, finishing with a game-high 28 points on 6-of-13 shooting from three-point range.
The last of those trey tied the game for the last time at 82 with 3:14 to go before Shuta Hara drained his own three pointer to put Chiba on top for good, 85-82, heading into the final two minutes.
Former NBA player Xavier Cooks also had a monster game for Chiba with 24 points and 22 rebounds.
It was a heartbreaker of a loss for the Kings, who appeared ready to pull off an upset against a team that has stretched its unbeaten mark to seven games in the five-month long meet presented by Philippine Airlines, Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort, Titktok as official partners and Anta, McDonald’s, and Spalding as product endorsers.
Joseph Lin, younger brother of Jeremy, carried the offensive load for New Taipei of the P.League+ with 21 points including 5-of-11 from beyond the arc. Former Bay Area Dragons gunner Hayden Blankley added 17 and four rebounds before suffering cramps late in the game.
Seoul SK Knights meanwhile, leaned on the explosive showing of import Jamel Warney to finally get back at Anyang Jung Kwan Jang.
Warney had an all-around game of 38 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists in the win that avenged the Knights’ loss to their Korean rival in last year’s EASL Champions Week title game and the KBL championship series, respectively.
The loss by the Red Boosters spoiled the homecoming of Abando, the former Gilas Pilipinas player and NCAA Rookie-MVP who finished with 11 points despite playing with a hurting back.
Robert Carter had 21 points, nine rebounds, and six assists to pace Anyang, which will battle Taipei Kings for third place also on Sunday.
