GAME NOTES: GROUP B — Macau Black Bears (1-1) vs. Ryukyu Golden Kings (1-0)

Macau seeks two-game win streak in 2024-25 EASL home opener

October 30, 2024 — Studio City Event Center, Macau SAR

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Storylines:

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Three-Headed Monster

Jeantal Cylla, Damian Chong Qui and William Artino have been at the core of Macau’s success in East Asia Super League play. The trio have combined to average 69 points per game through two contests.

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Offensively, most of the Black Bears’ sets run through Chong Qui. The speedy floor general is a pass-first point guard but can create his own shot when necessary. Chong Qui averages a team-high 7.5 assists.

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Cylla — a versatile 6-foot-7 forward — broke out on Oct. 23 in a 109-97 surprise win over the P. LEAGUE+’s New Taipei Kings. Cylla notched a game-high 32 points on 67% shooting and also tallied five 3-point makes.

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In situations where Cylla and Chong Qui have trouble finding their rhythm, Macau can always lean on Artino. The 6-foot-9 forward is nimble around the rim and is a formidable presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. A former Creighton Blue Jay standout, Artino currently averages a double-double with 19.5 points and 12.5 rebounds.

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Upset Alert?

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The Black Bears weren’t favored to win their bout with New Taipei on Oct. 23. Even postgame, when Cylla was asked how Macau beat the Kings, he dubbed the victory a “statement game” because “(Macau) was picked last in the league.”

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Come Wednesday, Oct. 30, the Black Bears have another opportunity to prove doubters wrong.

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Despite Macau’s shock triumph, the B.LEAGUE’s Ryukyu Golden Kings remain front-runners. Now in their second consecutive EASL campaign, Ryukyu sits atop the Group B standings at 1-0 after defeating the Meralco Bolts — a team which the Black Bears lost to at EASL Tip-Off 2024 on Oct. 2.

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But Macau shouldn’t be written off. Against New Taipei, the Black Bears jumped out to a comfortable 34-24 lead after 10 minutes and held the Kings to a measly 20% clip from 3. Who’s to say Macau can’t do the same versus Ryukyu?

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Laying Down The Law

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Ryukyu’s Victor Law stands as the biggest obstacle to Macau securing consecutive EASL wins. During his season debut on Oct. 16, he earned Player of the Game honors after totaling 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in a 77-74 victory.

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Likely tasked with guarding Cylla on Wednesday, Law is long, disciplined and extremely athletic. Although Cylla has registered a combined 55 points in two games, he hasn’t come across a defender like Law yet.

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Aside from scoring a team-high 18 for the Golden Kings to their first victory of the 2024-25 EASL campaign, it was Law’s game-sealing block — his third of three that evening — on Meralco’s Allen Durham which clinched the Ryukyu triumph.

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If Law can continue to produce offensively as expected, but also shut down Cylla in the process, Ryukyu could obtain an easy win and improve to 2-0.

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Macau Black Bears’ (Macau SAR) Players to Watch

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#7 Jeantal Cylla — Forward, 6-foot-7

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2024-25 EASL Season Averages: 27.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Joined the Macau Black Bears in 2024
Cylla is a member of the Hatian national basketball team
Cylla finished as an 1,000-point scorer in college
Cylla attended Florida Atlantic, UNC Wilmington and Arkansas
Cylla is from Lake Worth, Florida, USA

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#1 Chun Hong Ting — Guard, 6-foot-4

Chun Hong Ting (left) looks to attack during Macau's 109-97 win over the New Taipei Kings on Wednesday, Oct. 23. The 6-foot-4 guard totaled two points in his EASL debut.

2024-25 EASL Season Averages: 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Joined the Macau Black Bears in 2024
By joining Macau, Chun became the first-ever Malaysian international to play club basketball outside of Malaysia
Chun has spent time with the Malaysian 3x3 national team
Chun’s nickname is ‘Mei Mei’
Chun is from Malaysia

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#2 Jamal Mayali — Guard, 6-foot-4

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2024-25 EASL Season Averages: 6 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists
Joined the Macau Black Bears in 2024
Mayali is the current captain of the Palestinian national basketball team
Mayali attended McGill University
Mayali is from Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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Ryukyu Golden Kings’ Players to Watch

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#14 Ryuichi Kishimoto — Guard, 5-foot-7

2024-25 EASL Averages: 3 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists
2024-25 B.LEAGUE Season Averages: 12 points, 2 rebounds, 4.1 assists
2022-23 B.LEAGUE Champion
2x bj League Champion (2013-14, 2015-16)
2013-14 bj League Playoff MVP
Joined the Ryukyu Golden Kings 2013.
Kishimoto attended Daito Bunka University
Kishimoto is from Nago City, Okinawa, Japan.

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#53 Alex Kirk — Center, 6-foot-11

2024-25 EASL Season Averages: 12 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
2024-25 B.LEAGUE Season Averages: 10.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists
Kirk became a naturalized Japanese player before the start of the 2024-25 season
Joined the Ryukyu Golden Kings in 2023
2019 FIBA Asia Champions Cup Champion
2019 FIBA Asia Champions Cup MVP
2-time B.LEAGUE Champion with the Tokyo Alvark (2018, 2019)
Kirk previously played for the B.LEAGUE’s Tokyo Alvark (2017-23)
Kirk previously played with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2014-15), and their G.League affiliate, the Canton Charge (2014-15)
Kirk went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft
2-time Mountain West Conference All-Defensive Team (2013, 2014)
2013 Second-Team All-Mountain West Conference
Kirk attended the University of New Mexico
Kirk is from Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA

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#4 Keve Aluma — Forward, 6-foot-7

2024-25 B.LEAGUE Season Averages: 12 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2 assists
Joined the Ryukyu Golden Kings in 2024
Aluma most recently played in the 2024 NBA Summer League for the Philadelphia 76ers
Aluma previously played for the B.LEAGUE’s Niigata Albirex (2022-23)
Aluma went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft
2-time Second-Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (2021, 2022)
Aluma attended Wofford University and Virginia Tech University
Aluma is from Berlin, Maryland, USA

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Macau By The Numbers:

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Team History