Chiba Jets bag 1st EASL crown at SK Knights’ expense
THE Chiba Jets beat the Seoul SK Knights in a 72-69 thriller to cap a dominant campaign in the East Asia Super League (EASL) championship before a jampacked crowd at the Hoops Dome on Sunday night in Lapu-lapu City.
Yuki Togashi had a game-high 22 points he capped with two pressurepacked title-clinching free throws in the final 14 seconds after Jameel Warney missed a potential game-tying threepointer in the Knights’ final possession.
The 5-foot-6 Togashi, captain of the Japan national team, also nailed four triples and had seven assists in the win worth $1 million for the Japan B. League ballclub which finished unbeaten in eight games.
“Hats off to the players, they deserved the championship,” Chiba Jets coach John Patrick said. “It was a dramatic, difficult game. We addressed our defense and Yuki took over at the end, and that has been the story of our season so far.”
“I couldn’t be prouder and I couldn’t be happier. I’m also glad to do this in Cebu, with so many friendly and passionate fans, great environment here, loud and high, and that’s what basketball is all about,” he added.
The Knights banked $500,000 as runners-up in the five-month, homeand-away season backed by Philippine Airlines, Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort, Tiktok as official partners and Anta, Mcdonald’s and Spalding as product endorsers
John Mooney also played big for the Jets with a double-double of 16 points and 16 rebounds, while naturalized player and former San Miguel Beer import Ira Brown was the other Chiba player in double figures with 12 points.
The loss by the Knights spoiled the 22-point, 17-rebound and fiveassist effort of Jameel Warney, whose completed three-point play gave the Korean Basketball League side a 62-60 lead with under five minutes left in the tightly-fought game.
But Togashi answered back with a huge three-pointer as the Jets wrested the lead for good, 63-62.
The Knights threatened at 69-70 on a three-point shot by An Youngjun in the final 73 seconds, before Togashi answered back with his two free throws to seal the deal.
Dethroned champion Anyang Jung Kwan Jang edged New Taipei Kings in the battle for third place, 7876, to pocket $250,000.
Rhenz Abando (Anyang) and former National Basketball Association star Jeremy Lin (Taipei Kings) didn’t suit up due to injuries.