October 22, 2024 — Xinzhuang Gymnasium, New Taipei City, Chinese Taipei

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Storylines:

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1. Better than 4?

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The New Taipei Kings are entering the East Asia Super League 2024-25 Season looking to improve from their fourth-place finish last year.

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The Kings were cruising through the group stage with four straight wins to begin their 2023-24 campaign. However, the team was bitten by the injury bug in January, with stars Jeremy Lin and Kenny Manigault both going down.

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New Taipei never recovered, as the team limped into the EASL Final Four 2024 with a 4-2 record.

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While they provided a valiant effort against the Chiba Jets, the team couldn’t prevail, going down to the eventual EASL champions in the semifinals. In the third-place game, in a nail-biting tilt against 2023 EASL Champions Week and Korean Basketball League (KBL) champions, Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters, the team lost by 2, finishing the season in fourth place.

With new additions to the roster and an offseason to recover from past injuries, will the Kings improve their result of last season and perhaps win the EASL title?

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2. Promising showing from Macau

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The Macau Black Bears had a valiant showing against the Meralco Bolts in their first EASL game of the season, keeping it close against EASL returnees, the Meralco Bolts, before faltering late.

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Will Artino had a productive game, securing a double-double by scoring a game-high 23 points to go along with his 14 rebounds. Artino also added three steals and a block on the defensive end.

Three players on the team scored over 20 points. But with just five players getting on the scoresheet, Macau hopes to have their bench contribute a little bit more in their games ahead.

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3. New Kings on the throne

The Kings added a massive upgrade on their frontcourt this season, signing former Taipei Fubon Braves forward, Chris Johnson, and former Taoyuan Pauian Pilots center, Jason Washburn.

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Johnson played in the EASL last season with the Braves, averaging 22 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.7 blocks in three games. The former NBA pro will look to add his athleticism in the Kings’ interior.

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Washburn is the reigning P. LEAGUE+ Import of the Year following a huge year with the Pilots, averaging 21.9 points and 13.2 rebounds per game last season.

Adding both to a frontcourt that already boasts names like Austin Daye and Kenny Manigault, the Kings are in it to win it this EASL season.

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New Taipei Kings (Chinese Taipei — P. LEAGUE+) Players to Watch:

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#9 Lee Kai-Yan, Guard 6-foot

• 2023-24 EASL Averages
  • 4.4 points, 0.9 assists, 0.9 rebounds
• 2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ Averages
  • 9.9 points, 2.9 assists, 2.3 rebounds
• 2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ Champion
• 2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ Finals MVP 
• 2022 P. LEAGUE+ First Team
• 2022 P. LEAGUE+ First Team Defense
• 2022 P. LEAGUE+ Assist King
• Joined the New Taipei Kings in 2021
• Lee attended college at Hsing Wu University
• Lee is from Nantou City, Chinese Taipei

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#1 Joseph Lin, Guard, 6-foot-1

• 2023-24 EASL Averages
  • 11.5 points, 4.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds
• 2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ Averages
  • 11.5 points, 6.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds
• 3x P. LEAGUE+ Champion (Taipei Fubon Braves 2020-21, 2021-22; New Taipei Kings 2023-24)
• 2023 P. LEAGUE+ First Team
• 2024 P. LEAGUE+ Second Team
• 2024 P. LEAGUE+ Assist King
• Joined the New Taipei Kings in 2022
• Lin attended college at Hamilton College
• Lin is from Paolo Alto, California, USA

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#5 Chris Johnson, Forward, 6-foot-11

• 2023-24 EASL Averages
  • 22 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists
• 2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ Averages
  • 19.1 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists
• 2022-23 P. LEAGUE+ Champion (Taipei Fubon Braves)
• 2023 P. LEAGUE+ Finals MVP (Taipei Fubon Braves)
• 2018 Croatian Cup Winner with Cedevita Zagreb
• 2011 LNB Champion with Leones de Santo Domingo
• 2022 NZNBL All-Star Five with Auckland Tuatara.
• Johnson was NBA D-League Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA D-League First Team, All-NBA D-League Defensive First Team, and NBA D-League All Star in 2011 with the Dakota Wizards.
• Johnson spent time in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers (2010-12), Boston Celtics (2011-12), New Orleans Hornets (2012) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2012-13).
• Joined the New Taipei Kings in 2024
• Johnson attended college at Louisiana State University
• Johnson is from Washington D.C., USA

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Macau Black Bears (Macau) Players to Watch:

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#23 Sam Deguara — Center, 7-foot-6

• 2024-25 EASL Averages
  • 8.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists
• 2017 Malta Basketball League Champion with BUPA Luxol
• 2017 Malaysia Pro League Champion with Farmcochem
• 2009 FIBA Europe U-18 Championhip Division C MVP with Malta
• 2017 TBL Best Center Award with PEA
• 2018 TBSL Champion with Mono Vampire
• 2018 European Champion for Small Countries MVP with Malta
• Joined the Macau Black Bears in 2024
• Deguara is from Pietà, Malta

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#2 Will Artino — Forward, 6-foot-11

• 2024-25 EASL Averages
  • 23.0 points, 14.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 3.0 steals, 1.0 block
• 2022 T1 League Rebounds Leader with Tainan TSG GhostHawks
• Joined the Macau Black Bears in 2024
• Artino attended college at Creighton University
• Artino is from Des Moines, Iowa, USA

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#3 Damian Chong-Qui — Point Guard, 5-foot-8

• 2024-25 EASL Averages
  • 21.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds
• 2019-20 NEC Most Improved Player with Purdue University Fort Wayne
• 2019-20 All-NEC Third Team with Purdue University Fort Wayne
• 2020-21 All-NEC First Team with Purdue University Fort Wayne
• 2020-21 All-NEC Tournament Team with Purdue University Fort Wayne
• 2020-21 NABC All-District First Team
• Joined the Macau Black Bears in 2024
• Chong-Qui attended college at Purdue University Fort Wayne
• Chong-Qui is from Baltimore, Maryland, USA

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New Taipei Kings By The Numbers:

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Team History

• Founded in 2021
• 2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ Champions

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2024-25 EASL Upcoming Games

• Home vs. Macau Black Bears (Macau) — Oct. 22, 2024
• Away vs. Macau Black Bears (Macau) — Dec. 11, 2024
• Away vs. Ryukyu Golden Kings (B.LEAGUE) — Dec. 25, 2024
• Home vs. Ryukyu Golden Kings (B.LEAGUE) — Jan. 8, 2025
• Away vs. Busan KCC Egis (KBL) — Jan. 21, 2025
• Home vs. Meralco Bolts (PBA) — Feb. 12, 2025

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2023-24 EASL Statistic Leaders

• Points: Jeremy Lin — 16.6 ppg
• Rebounds: Kenny Manigault — 10.0 rpg
• Assists: Jeremy Lin — 5.6 apg
• Steals: Kenny Manigault — 3.2 spg
• Blocks: Tony Mitchell Jr. — 2.5 bpg

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2023-2024 P. LEAGUE+ Champions

• Regular season record: 22-18
• Finished 3rd in P. LEAGUE+ Regular Season
• Defeated Formosa Dreamers (4-2) in the semifinals; defeated the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (4-1) in the P. LEAGUE+ Finals

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2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ Statistic Leaders

• Points: Jeremy Lin — 19.3 ppg
• Rebounds: Byron Mullens — 10.8 rpg
• Assists: Joseph Lin — 6.7 apg
• Steals: Kenny Manigault — 2.8 spg
• Blocks: Byron Mullens — 1.0 bpg

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Macau Black Bears By The Numbers:

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Team History

• Founded in 2017
• 2017-18 ASEAN Basketball League semifinalists

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2024-25 EASL Results

• 97-85 loss vs. Meralco Bolts (PBA) — Oct. 2, 2024

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2024-25 EASL Upcoming Games

• Away vs. New Taipei Kings (P. LEAGUE+) — Oct. 23, 2024
• Home vs. Hiroshima Dragonflies (B.LEAGUE) — Oct. 30, 2024
• Home vs. Ryukyu Golden Kings (B.LEAGUE) – October 30, 2024
• Home vs. Busan KCC Egis (KBL) – November 6, 2024
• Home vs. New Taipei Kings (P. LEAGUE+) – December 11, 2024
• Away vs. Busan KCC Egis (KBL) – January 15, 2025

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2024-25 EASL Statistic Leaders

• Points: Jeantal Cylla, Will Artino — 23.0 ppg
• Rebounds: Will Artino — 14.0 rpg
• Assists: Damian Chong-Qui — 4.0 apg
• Steals: Will Artino — 3.0 spg
• Blocks: Jeantal Cylla — 2.0 bpg