Game Notes: Group B – Seoul SK Knights (2-2) vs. New Taipei Kings (4-1)

Knights can secure Final Four spot with a win

January 31, 2024 – Jamsil Students’ Gymnasium, Seoul, South Korea

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Storylines

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Win and SK are in‍

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Seoul SK Knights are currently third in the Group B standings. In front of them are New Taipei Kings and Ryukyu Golden Kings.

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SK need just one win out of their two remaining games to clinch a spot in the Final Four.

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However, if they lose both, Ryukyu will advance.

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The Kings comfortably beat Seoul 90-72 in their first meeting back on November 8. But the Taipei team is now without injured star Jeremy Lin.

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Can SK avenge their previous defeat and clinch the last Final Four spot?

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Both teams can still win Group B‍

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New Taipei Kings have already clinched a spot in the Final Four. With a 4-1 record, one more win is all they need to claim the top spot in Group B.

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Their bruising loss against Ryukyu Golden Kings prevented them from claiming the group honors last week.

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SK could potentially overtake New Taipei. The Seoul team would have to win both of their remaining games. A tiebreaker would then ensue, meaning that, in order to advance, SK would also have to beat New Taipei by a bigger margin than the 18-point defeat they suffered in their last meeting.

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Jeremy Lin injured‍

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New Taipei Kings star Jeremy Lin posted on his Instagram on Sunday that he had sustained a plantar fascia injury and would be out for a period of time.

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Lin’s last game was against Ryukyu Golden Kings last Wednesday. He collided with Golden Kings’ import Vic Law in the second quarter, staying down for a moment holding his foot before getting subbed off.

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Lin came back sparingly in the second half, but the team sat their star guard early in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach.

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Lin is averaging 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in five EASL games this season.

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The Kings played their first game without Lin on Sunday and defeated the Kaohsiung 17LIVE Steelers, 94-83. His brother Joseph scored a team-high 19 points to lead the Kings to victory.

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‍Players to Watch

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‍Seoul SK Knights:

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#34 Jameel Warney – C

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- USA NCAA Division 1: Stony Brook (2012-2016)

3x AP honorable mention All-American (2014-2016)
3x NCAA America East Player of the Year (2014-2016)
3× NCAA All-America East First Team (2014–2016)
2× America East Defensive Player of the Year (2015, 2016)
2013 NCAA America East Rookie of the Year
2016 NCAA America East tournament MVP
No. 20 retired by Stony Brook University

- Former NBA player (Dallas Mavericks)

NBA career stats: 3 games – 5.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg

- Former NBA G-League player (Texas Legends, Westchester Knicks)

2018 All-NBA G-League First Team

- 2017 FIBA AmeriCup MVP

- 2017 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year

- South Korea: KBL – Seoul SK Knights

3x KBL Import of the Year (2020, 2022, 2023)
3x All-KBL Team (2020, 2022, 2023)
2023 KBL Top Scorer (24.0 ppg)

- EASL 2023-24 Season stats:

38.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3.0 apg

- 2023-24 KBL season stats:

25.3 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 4.3 apg

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#8 An Young Jun – F

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- University: South Korea - Yonsei University

- South Korea: KBL – Seoul SK Knights

2017 KBL Draft: 4^th overall pick
2017-18 KBL Rookie of the Year
2021-22 KBL Champion

- EASL 2023-24 Season stats:

19.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.0 apg

- 2023-24 KBL season:

12.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.2 apg

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#41 Oh Se Keun – C

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- University: South Korea - Chung-Ang University

Won 52 consecutive games (November 2008 to November 2009)
2011 U-League Champion

- South Korea: KBL – Anyang KGC(2011-23); Seoul SK Knights (2023-)

2011 KBL Draft: 1^st overall pick
2012 KBL Rookie of the Year
4x KBL Champion (2012, 2017, 2021, 2023 - Anyang KGC)
3x KBL Playoffs MVP (2012, 2017, 2023)
2017 KBL MVP
2017 KBL Regular Season Champion
3x KBL Best 5 (2012, 2017, 2018)

International: South Korea National Basketball Team

2010 Asian Games Gold Medalist
2017 FIBA Asia Cup Team Captain
2017 FIBA Asia Cup All-Tournament Team (South Korea)

- EASL 2023-24 Season stats:

6.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.0 spg

- 2023-24 KBL season:

8.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.3 apg

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New Taipei Kings

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‍#1 Joseph Lin – G

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- USA NCAA Division III: Hamilton College (2011-15)

- Chinese Taipei: Taipei Fubon Braves (2015-22); New Taipei Kings (2022-)

2x P. LEAGUE+ Champion (Taipei Fubon Braves: 2021, 2022)
2019 SBL Champion (Taipei Fubon Braves)
4x SBL All-Star (2016-2019)

- EASL 2023-24 Season stats:

11.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.8 apg

- 2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ season stats:

13.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 6.0 apg

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#55 Kenny Manigault – F

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- University: USA

USA NCAA Division I: Wichita State (2009-10)
USA NCAA Division II: USC Aiken (2010-11)
USA NAIA: Pikeville (2011-13)

- Team History:

Australia: NBL1 – Goldfields Giants (2016)
Poland: I Liga – AZS Koszalin (2016-17)
Finland: Korisliiga - Tampereen Pyrintö (2017-19); Helsinki Seagulls (2022)
Asia: ABL – Macau Black Bears (2019-20)
Israel: Israeli National League - Elitzur Yavne B.C. (2020-21)
Canada: CEBL – Fraser Valley Bandits (2021)

- Chinese Taipei: P. LEAGUE+ - New Taipei Kings (2022-)

2023 P. LEAGUE+ Steals Leader
2023 P. LEAGUE+ All-Second Team
12th player in professional basketball history to record a quadruple-double

- EASL 2023-24 Season stats:

17.3 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 4.0 apg

- 2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ season stats:

17.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.6 apg, 3.4 spg

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#14 Tony Mitchell Jr. – F

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USA NCAA Division 1: North Texas (2011-2013)

2012 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year
2012 First Team All-Sun Belt
2013 Second Team All-Sun Belt

- Former NBA player (Detroit Pistons)

2013 NBA Draft: 2nd round, 37th overall pick – Detroit Pistons

- Former NBA G League player (Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Grand Rapids Drive)

- Team History:

Puerto Rico: BSN - Atléticos de San Germán (2015); Brujos de Guayama (2019); Leones de Ponce (2019-20)
Venezuela: SPB - Cocodrilos de Caracas (2015-16, 2018, 2023)
China: NBL – Guangxi Rhino (2016)
Israel: Liga Leumit – Maccabi Haifa (2016-17); Ligat HaAl - Hapoel Gilboa Galil (2018)
Philippines: PBA – Star Hotshots (2017); NLEX Road Warriors (2019)
Dominican Republic: LNB – Metros de Santiago (2017 – Champion)
United Arab Emirates: NBL – Al Wasl (2018)
Chinese Taipei: SBL – Taipei Fubon Braves (2018-19 – Champion); P. LEAGUE+ - New Taipei Kings (2023-)
Iraq: 1XBET Iraqi Basketball League – Al-Naft SC (2022 – Champion)

- EASL 2023-24 Season stats:

6.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.0 bpg

- 2023-24 P. LEAGUE+ season stats:

13.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 1.1 bpg

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‍By the Numbers

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‍Seoul SK Knights (South Korea – KBL)

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- Team History:

Founded: 1997
Honors: 3x KBL Champions (1999-00, 2017-18, 2021-22)
2x EASL Runners Up (2019 Terrific 12, 2023 EASL Champions Week)

- 2022-23 KBL season:

Runners-up in the 2022-23 KBL season
Regular season record: 36-18
Second in the regular season
Playoffs: defeated Jeonju KCC Egis 3-0 in quarterfinals; defeated Changwon LG Sakers 3-0 in semifinals; lost to Anyang KGC 4-3 in KBL Finals

- EASL 2023-24 Season record: 2-2

October 18, 2023: 80-79 loss against Ryukyu Golden Kings (B.LEAGUE)
November 1, 2023: 82-69 win over Ryukyu Golden Kings (B.LEAGUE)
November 8, 2023: 90-72 loss against New Taipei Kings (P. LEAGUE+)
December 27, 2023: 81-80 win over Meralco Bolts (PBA)

- EASL 2023-24 Season stat leaders:

Points: Jameel Warney – 38.3 ppg
Rebounds: Leon Williams – 11.5 rpg
Assists: Kim Sun Hyung – 5.7 apg
Steals: Leon Williams – 2.3 spg
Blocks: Jameel Warney – 1.7 bpg

- EASL 2023-24 Season upcoming games:

Home vs. New Taipei Kings (P. LEAGUE+) – January 31, 2024
Home vs. Meralco Bolts (PBA) – February 7, 2024

- EASL History:

2023 EASL Champions Week: Seoul SK Knights went 2-1, defeating Bay Area Dragons 92-84 and PBA side TNT Tropang Giga 80-69 in the Group Stage. They lost to KBL side Anyang KGC 90-84 in the Final.
2019 Terrific 12: Seoul SK Knights went 3-1, beating PBA side Blackwater Elite and B.LEAGUE side Chiba Jets in the Group Stage. SK defeated CBA side Zhejiang Lions in the semifinals before falling to CBA side Liaoning Flying Leopards in the finals.

- KBL 2023-24 Season record: 23-13

October 21, 2023: 89-74 win over Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters
October 22, 2023: 85-80 win over Suwon KT Sonicboom
October 24, 2023: 90-79 win over Goyang Sono Skygunners
October 27, 2023: 78-67 loss against Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus
October 29, 2023: 96-94 loss against Daegu KOGAS Pegasus
November 4, 2023: 69-50 loss against Changwon LG Sakers
November 11, 2023: 82-80 win over Seoul Samsung Thunders
November 12, 2023: 106-76 loss against Wonju DB Promy
November 16, 2023: 76-74 win over Daegu KOGAS Pegasus
November 18, 2023: 102-87 win over Suwon KT Sonicboom
November 20, 2023: 82-75 win over Seoul Samsung Thunders
November 24, 2023: 86-80 win over Wonju DB Promy
November 26, 2023: 84-77 loss against Goyang Sono Skygunners
November 30, 2023: 87-73 loss against Changwon LG Sakers
December 2, 2023: 74-72 loss against Busan KCC Egis
December 3, 2023: 85-71 win over Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters
December 7, 2023: 78-75 win over Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus
December 12, 2023: 91-82 loss against Wonju DB Promy
December 14, 2023: 81-69 win over Daegu KOGAS Pegasus
December 16, 2023: 85-77 win over Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus
December 19, 2023: 85-71 win over Suwon KT Sonicboom
December 21, 2023: 80-70 win over Goyang Sono Skygunners
December 23, 2023: 64-62 win over Changwon LG Sakers
December 25, 2023: 89-74 win over Seoul Samsung Thunders
December 30, 2023: 86-68 win over Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters
January 1, 2024: 80-76 win over Seoul Samsung Thunders
January 3, 2024: 77-74 win over Busan KCC Egis
January 5, 2024: 87-61 win over Goyang Sono Skygunners
January 7, 2024: 83-71 win over Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters
January 9, 2024: 64-57 win over Changwon LG Sakers
January 11, 2024: 90-75 loss against Busan KCC Egis
January 18, 2024: 97-94 loss against Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus
January 20, 2024: 76-68 win over Wonju DB Promy
January 22, 2024: 88-75 loss against Daegu KOGAS Pegasus
January 25, 2024: 68-65 loss against Suwon KT Sonicboom
January 27, 2024: 92-87 loss against Busan KCC Egis

- KBL 2023-24 Season stat leaders:

Points: Jameel Warney – 25.3 ppg
Rebounds: Jameel Warney – 11.8 rpg
Assists: Kim Sun Hyung – 4.8 apg
Steals: Kim Sun Hyung – 1.6 spg
Blocks: Jameel Warney – 1.2 bpg‍

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New Taipei Kings (P. LEAGUE+)

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- Team History:

Founded: 2021
Honors: 2022-23 P. LEAGUE+ runners-up

- 2022-23 P. LEAGUE+ Runners-Up

Regular season record: 27-13
P. LEAGUE+ Regular Season Champions
Playoffs: defeated Dreamers 3-1 in semifinals; lost to Taipei Fubon Braves 4-2 in P. LEAGUE+ Finals

- EASL 2023-24 Season record: 4-1