Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters of Korea Park Jin Hoo erupts in celebration during their battle-for-third game against Taiwan’s New Taipei Kings in the EASL Final Four. | EASL Instagram photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters of Korea claimed the third place honors of the East Asia Super League (EASL) Final Four after a thrilling Battle-for-Third, 78-76, against the New Taipei Kings of Taiwan on Sunday, March 10, at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City.
The Red Boosters banked on the heroics of stellar guard Jihoon Park, who unloaded 29 points with eight rebounds, three steals, one assist, and a block.
Park was red-hot from the three-point line, missing only one of his four attempts, while he scored 9 of 13 field goals.
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Big man Robert Carter Jr. finished with a double-double game of 18 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, and one block in their game in the EASL Final Four.
Jeong Hyogeun and Jamil Wilson each chipped in 11 markers as the Red Boosters pocketed the $250,000 purse for third place.
The Kings’ Kenneth Manigault Jr. had 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Chin-Min Yang and Austin Daye each scored 15 points, and Hayden Blankley added 13 markers in the Taiwan-based squad’s losing efforts.
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The Red Boosters led by double digits twice throughout their EASL Final Four game. They wrapped up the first half with an 11-point cushion, 44-33.
They went on to establish a 12-point lead, 58-46, despite numerous comebacks by the Kings.
However, in the final period, Manigault and Blankly connived for a 13-2 run to erase the double-digit deficit to just one possession, 70-72.
Both teams went on to commit crucial turnovers until Yang scored a crucial layup that put the Kings within three points, 75-78, with less than a minute left in their EASL Final Four game.
The Red Boosters consumed the time but ended with a crucial turnover from Carter.
Hoon was forced to foul Joseph Lin without knowing that they were already in the penalty.
Lin, the younger brother of ex-NBA player Jeremy Lin, went on to split his charity shots, cutting the lead to just two, 76-78, with less than 30 ticks left.
Carter wanted to put the icing on the cake for the Red Boosters and threw a wide-open three but missed.
The Kings rushed to score an equalizer, but Lin fumbled the ball to seal the game.
The Red Boosters played in the battle-for-third in the ongoing EASL Final Four without Filipino star Rhenz Abando, who decided not to play due to injury, as Jeremy Lin for the Kings.