Gameday 14: Group B – Busan KCC Egis 87 (1-5) vs. New Taipei Kings 104 (3-2)

January 21, 2025 – Busan Sajik Gymnasium, Busan, South Korea

The New Taipei Kings secured their third EASL victory of the season with a commanding 104-87 win over Korea’s champion, the Busan KCC Egis.

The Kings faced an early injury when star guard Jeremy Lin limped off the court with a right hamstring injury. The rest of the team stepped up, with six players scoring in double figures.

2024 P. LEAGUE+ Finals Most Valuable Player Lee Kai-Yan led the Kings with a team-high 19 points, while import Kenny Manigault earned EASL Player of the Game honors after recording a triple-double.

Post-Game Triple:

JLin7 Limps Off

*New Taipei Kings' star guard Jeremy Lin was forced to watch from the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury in the 1st quarter.*

Jeremy Lin was off to a strong start against KCC, going 2-for-2 from the field for five points, including a 3-pointer. However, just over eight minutes into the opening frame, Lin pulled his hamstring while backing into his defender. The Kings' star limped off to the dressing room and did not return.

Lin has struggled with injuries in the EASL before, having suffered a plantar fascia injury last season against the Ryukyu Golden Kings. He attempted to rejoin his team for the 2024 EASL Final Four but ultimately couldn’t make it in time, supporting his teammates from the sidelines instead.

The Kings have yet to secure a Final Four spot this season. While Lin's return timeline remains uncertain, the rest of the team must continue to step up in his absence.

No Lin, No Problem

Despite losing their star early, the Kings responded with a strong team effort.

Head coach Ryan Marchand utilized all 12 active players, with nine contributing to the scoresheet. The team combined for 104 points on 53% shooting, with six players reaching double figures.

Lee Kai-Yan, the 2024 P. LEAGUE+ Finals MVP, led the charge off the bench with 19 points, surpassing his total of 12 points from the previous three games combined.

The Kings will need to find ways to compensate for Lin’s 23.0 points per game, and Wednesday's performance showed they have the depth to do so.

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KCC Ends Season with Disappointment

Busan KCC Egis entered the 2024-25 EASL season as early favorites but struggled to find consistency, finishing with a disappointing 1-5 record.

The 2024 KBL champions opened their EASL campaign with three straight road losses. Their first home game provided a brief glimmer of hope, as star guard Heo Ung scored 14 straight points in the final minutes to secure a win over the Meralco Bolts and keep their slim Final Four hopes alive. However, two consecutive home losses sealed their fate.

Cady LaLanne was a lone bright spot for KCC in Wednesday's game, scoring a game-high 31 points on 59% shooting.

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Last season, two Korean teams advanced to the EASL Final Four, but this year, both KCC and KT fell short, failing to progress past the group stage.

EASL Player of the Game: Kenny Manigault - New Taipei Kings

Kenny Manigault has been one of the league's most consistent all-around players, entering Wednesday's game averaging 20 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 4.3 steals per game.

Against KCC, Manigault recorded his first triple-double of the season, finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in just over 29 minutes of play. His defensive prowess remained strong, registering four steals.

Stat of the Game: 27-3

The New Taipei Kings' tight defense and uptempo offense overwhelmed the Busan KCC Egis.

New Taipei forced 17 turnovers and capitalized with a 27-3 advantage in points off turnovers. The Kings registered 14 steals, with Chien You-Che and Kenny Manigault each recording four.

Quotes of the Game:

Kenny Manigault on win:

“I feel good. We came out with the first punch. That’s what we’ve been talking about the last couple of days, making sure that we can put ourselves with a chance to get into first place for the Finals. So we did what we were supposed to do. Now we get a little break. Come back, regroup, finish the season out.”