Hong Kong SAR, November 13, 2024 – East Asia Super League will hold its first-ever Macau Classic on Dec. 11 at Studio City Event Center in Macau. Hosted by the home team, the Macau Black Bears, the New Taipei Kings, Taoyuan Pauian Pilots and Suwon KT Sonicboom complete the participating organizations in this thrilling doubleheader.
GAME 1: Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (P. LEAGUE+) vs. Suwon KT Sonicboom (KBL)
Beginning at 7:10 p.m. CST, the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots take on the Suwon KT Sonicboom in their second meeting of the 2024-25 EASL season. The two teams last faced off on Oct. 23 when Taoyuan pulled off a surprise 91-70 away victory.
The Pauian Pilots are led by import duo Treveon Graham and Alec Brown. The pair combined for 57 points and 20 rebounds in their win over KT. Taoyuan also boasts guards Lu Cheng-Hsiang and Pai Yao-Cheng, the latter of whom earned a place in EASL’s Team of the Month for October.
Suwon KT star guard Heo Hoon is currently averaging 19 points and 6.5 assists through two games as of Nov. 13. Although most of the Sonicboom’s offense runs through Heo, KT receives solid output from its frontcourt of Jeremiah Tilmon Jr. and Rayshaun Hammonds, the latter of which notched 39 points at EASL Tip-Off 2024 on Oct. 2.
GAME 2: Macau Black Bears (Macau SAR) vs. New Taipei Kings (2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ Champions)
Tipping off at 9:10 CST, the Macau Black Bears face Jeremy Lin and the New Taipei Kings in a rematch of their Oct. 23 showdown. In that game, at New Taipei’s Xinzhuang Gymnasium, the visiting Black Bears secured a 109-97 victory.
Macau flaunts a quick-paced, high-octane offense led by William Artino and Damian Chong-Qui. As of Nov. 11, Artino’s 15 rebounds a game leads EASL while Chong-Qui became the first-ever EASL player to register a triple-double when his 22 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists helped Macau defeat the KBL’s Busan KCC Egis on Oct. 30.
New Taipei enters the Macau Classic with no EASL action since losing to the Black Bears on Oct. 23. Alongside former NBA superstar Lin, the Kings possess versatile forward Kenneth Manigault Jr. and Joseph Lin. Joseph, who is Jeremy’s brother, totaled 12 points and four assists against Macau last time out while Manigault Jr. tacked on a team-high 25.
