CEBU CITY, Philippines — The East Asia Super League (EASL) Final Four that will be held at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City next month promises to further elevate the region’s basketball scene.
This was according to one of EASL’s top honchos, Mark Fischer, in a Zoom press conference on Tuesday along with co-founder Henry Kerins.
Four of Asia’s best professional squads in the New Taipei Kings of former NBA cager Jeremy Lin, Chiba Jets and Yuki Togashio, KBL and EASL champions Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters and the Seoul SK Knights from March 8-10, at the Hoops Dome.
“This is the beginning of the beginning. The final four is the inaugural marked the start of the fulfillment of our vision which is to elevate professional basketball in Asia,” said Fischer during the Zoom presser.
“This goes as much for the Philippines as it does for China, Japan, and Korea, who love basketball and are going to benefit from the platform the EASL is creating to enable the competition of their top professional teams at the highest level against the top teams in the continent.”
It will be the first time for EASL to hold the last stretch of its basketball tournament in Cebu.
To recall, Kerins chose Cebu to host the EASL final four because of its passionate basketball fans despite the absence of a world-class basketball venue.
Still, they found a suitable venue, at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, that can accommodate as many as 7,000 basketball fans.
“It’s really a clash of champions, as we like to say in Asia, being able to face off and prove your skills with the best of the best to prove that you deserve the basketball crown of Asia,” added Fischer.
“Having a great milestone in Cebu, the final four, is really the beginning of something truly big. To crown the champion, we believe in incentivizing pro leagues like the PBA, CBA, KBL, Japan B League, and the T1 League.”
Fischer added that bringing EASL to Cebu will have a positive impact in terms of elevating the quality of the sport that will benefit local players.
“It’s going to be an extremely exciting competition at the hoops dome; we want this a special event not just for our fans but the people of Lapu-Lapu,” said Kerins.
Tickets tare savailable through the Ticketmax website and are pegged at P10,500 (courtside), P6,350 (patron), P1,900 (blue), P850 (green), P539 (orange), and P220 (general admission).
The Seoul SK Knights and its rival, the Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters, will provide the opening tip action at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 8.
The second game is at 8 p.m. between the Chiba Jets and the New Taipei Kings.
RELATED STORY
EASL eyes enhanced fan experience for PBA teams’ home games