GAME NOTES: GROUP A — Hiroshima Dragonflies (4-1) vs. Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (3-1)

Written by EASL

Tyler Schiff

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Hiroshima Can Lock Up A1 Spot, Complete Season Sweep of Taoyuan

January 22, 2025 — F-PICO Arena

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‍Where To Watch

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The Hiroshima Dragonflies and Taoyuan Pauian Pilots tip off at 6:10 p.m. CST. Here’s where you can catch the game!

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Japan

Watch the game live on Japanese streaming platform, U-NEXT (OTT)

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Chinese Taipei

Watch the game live on Videoland (pay TV), Videoland’s Twitch and YouTube Channels, or watch via streaming platform, PTS+ (OTT).

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Outside These Regions:

‍If you’re outside these regions and want to watch the East Asia Super League (EASL) games on Jan. 22, visit the ‘Watch’ tab on our website to see where you can stream based on your location.

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Get Your Tickets

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Get your tickets now at: https://bleague-ticket.psrv.jp/sales/HD/20250122

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‍‍Note: Those interested must create a B.LEAGUE website membership to purchase tickets.

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‍If you are traveling from overseas or do not have a B.LEAGUE website membership and wish to purchase tickets, please complete the form below:

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https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc0a-vlUYe21Fq-sXBkmvXy_IEcibDPIzEvFacH7nj0e6N4og/viewform

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Storylines

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Eyes On Top Spot

Taoyuan's Jarrod Jones (#45) is blocked by Hiroshima's Tshilidzi Kawata in a game on Dec. 25 that lifted the Dragonflies to the top of Group A. A win over the Pauian Pilots on Wednesday would secure Hiroshima's A1 spot in the Final Four.

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With a win over Taoyuan on Wednesday, Hiroshima can secure the top spot in Group A, becoming the first team this EASL season to claim a No. 1 seed in their respective group.

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Entering the game with a strong 4-1 record, the Dragonflies can notch their fifth win of the season by securing a second victory over the Pauian Pilots. No other team would be able to match a 5-1 record, making it the clear best in the league. However, even if Hiroshima falls short on Wednesday, their path to the A1 spot remains open.

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In the teams' first encounter on Dec. 25 at Taoyuan Arena, Hiroshima claimed an 84-73 victory. This means that even with a loss to Taoyuan — currently in second place and still in contention for the A1 spot — Hiroshima would need to be defeated by 11 or more points to lose their hold on the top spot in Group A. Any loss by 10 points or fewer would still secure their place in the Final Four as the A1 seed come March.

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Lu Makes History

Taoyuan's Lu Chun-Hsiang celebrates with teammate Pai Yao-Cheng after becoming the P. LEAGUE+'s all-time leading scorer. Lu currently averages 17.5 points in EASL competition.

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Taoyuan star Lu Chun-Hsiang became the P. LEAGUE+’s all-time leading scorer on Jan. 18, surpassing the previous record of 1,749 points held by former New Taipei Kings player Yang Chin-min.

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In EASL play this season, Lu has been one of Taoyuan’s key offensive players, aside from a quiet debut against the Suwon KT Sonicboom. He’s averaging 17.5 points in just under 30 minutes per game. The shooting guard excels in the pick-and-roll, showing an innate ability to finish at the rim or step back for long-range shots.

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In his first matchup against Hiroshima this season, Lu scored a team-high 21 points but struggled with foul trouble, limiting his minutes. His production and ability to score against the Dragonflies’ backcourt will be crucial for the Pauian Pilots if they hope to secure the A1 spot on the road Wednesday.

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Season Sweep

Dwayne Evans II (#13) of Hiroshima attempts a layup over the defense of Taoyuan's Alec Brown during their first meeting on Dec. 25, 2024. Evans II scored 33 points, leading the Dragonflies to an 84-73 victory.

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Not only will Hiroshima be aiming to secure the A1 spot against Taoyuan, but they’ll also be looking to complete a season sweep of one of the EASL’s top teams in the 2024-25 field.

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When the two teams first met on Christmas Day, the Pauian Pilots were undefeated at 3-0, boasting an impressive point differential of +24.3. Hiroshima, on the other hand, was coming off a narrow 80-78 victory over the now-eliminated Suwon KT Sonicboom (KBL).

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But from the jump, the Dragonflies dominated, largely due to Dwayne Evans II’s breakout 33-point performance. Hiroshima point guard Takuto Nakamura also made his mark with 18 points and three steals. In contrast, Taoyuan struggled, shooting under 30% from beyond the arc and — despite a late rally —it couldn’t complete the comeback.

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Although a loss to Hiroshima wouldn’t eliminate Taoyuan from Final Four contention, the Pauian Pilots will certainly want to avoid being swept. For the Dragonflies, a victory over the current leaders of the P. LEAGUE+ would provide a huge boost of confidence heading into the Final Four.

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Hiroshima Dragonflies’ Players To Watch

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#34 Keijiro Mitani — Forward, 6-foot-3

2024-25 EASL Season Averages: 9.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists
2024-25 B.LEAGUE Season Averages: 5.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists
2023-24 B.LEAGUE Champion
Mitani joined the Hiroshima Dragonflies in 2019
Mitani attended the University of Tsukuba
Mitani is from Hiroshima, Japan

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#13 Dwayne Evans II — Forward, 6-foot-6

2024-25 EASL Season Averages: 26.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists
2024-25 B.LEAGUE Season Averages: 15.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists
2024-25 B.LEAGUE All-Star
2023-24 B.LEAGUE Champion
Joined the Hiroshima Dragonflies in 2022
Evans played for the Ryukyu Golden Kings (B.LEAGUE) from 2020-2022
Evans attended St. Louis (2010-2014)
2-time First-Team All-Atlantic 10 (2013, 2014)
2013 Atlantic 10 Tournament MVP
2011 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team
Evans is from Bolingbrook, Illinois, USA

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#12 Takuto Nakamura — Guard, 6-foot-1

2024-25 EASL Season Averages: 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists
2024-25 B.LEAGUE Season Averages: 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists
2023-24 B.LEAGUE Champion
Nakamura represented the Japanese national team during the Nov. 2024 FIBA International Window
Joined the Hiroshima Dragonflies in 2022
Nakamura attended Daito Bunka University
Nakamura is from Nagoya, Japan

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Taoyuan Pauian PIlots’ Players To Watch

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#69 Lu Chun-Hsiang — Guard, 6-foot-3

2024-25 EASL Averages: 17.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists
2024-25 P. LEAGUE+ Averages: 18.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists
P. LEAGUE+ All-Time Leading Scorer
2024 P. LEAGUE+ MVP
2-time P. LEAGUE+ First-Team of the Year (2023, 2024)
2-time P. LEAGUE+ Defensive First-Team of the Year (2023, 2024)
2022 P. LEAGUE+ Sixth-Man of the Year
2022 P. LEAGUE+ Second-Team of the Year
2021 SBL Rookie of the Year
Joined the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots in 2021
Lu attended the Taichung National University of Science and Technology
Lu is from Chinese Taipei

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#6 Kuan Ta-You — Guard, 5-foot-11

2024-25 EASL Averages: 3.8, points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists
2024-25 P. LEAGUE+ Averages: 3.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Joined the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots in 2020
Kuan was the 10th overall pick in the 2017 SBL Draft
Kuan attended the National Sports University
Kuan is from Yunlin, Chinese Taipei

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#21 Alec Brown — Center, 7-foot-0

2024-25 EASL Averages: 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists
2024-25 P. LEAGUE+ Averages: 16.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Brown joined the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots in 2023
Played for the NBA developmental league affiliates, Bakersfield Jam (now known as Motor City Cruise) (2015-16) and Windy City Bulls (2016-17)
Brown was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 50th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft
2014 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year
2-time First-Team All-Horizon League (2012, 2014)
Brown attended Green Bay College (2010-2014)
Brown is from Winona, Minnesota, USA

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Hiroshima Dragonflies By The Numbers

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‍Team History