Cebu hosts EASL semis

HONG KONG — The undisputed champion of East Asian basketball will be crowned in Cebu as it hosts the East Asia Super League 2023-2024 Season Final Four this March.

Jeremy Lin and the New Taipei Kings, and Yuki Togashi and the Chiba Jets, are among the stars set to compete in Cebu as the first full-length EASL season comes to a thrilling conclusion.

The Final Four will be played at Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, just outside Cebu City. It will feature four elimination games — two semifinals played on 8 March, followed by the third-place game and the championship match on 10 March.

The four teams competing for the title of East Asian champions have been confirmed after Korean Basketball League side Seoul SK Knights qualified Wednesday night with an 89-57 rout of the New Taipei Kings in Seoul, South Korea.

The other qualifiers are: New Taipei Kings (P. LEAGUE+), Chiba Jets (Japan B. League), and reigning KBL and EASL champions Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters.

Final Four host city Cebu is a basketball heartland in the Philippines and has produced a host of great players, including seven-time Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo. It is also one of the country’s most popular travel destinations, with superb air travel connections and accommodation options.

“Cebu is an incredible venue for the first EASL Final Four. It has some of the most passionate basketball fans in the Philippines,” EASL chief executive officer Henry Kerins said.

“The Hoops Dome is a great arena that will be packed with local and travelling fans. And this is an amazing tourist destination — we are excited to showcase Cebu, including the magical resort island of Mactan, and the beautiful culture of the Philippines to our fans across the region.”