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 

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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 

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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 

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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

• Founded in 2013
• 2023-24 B.LEAGUE Champions

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2024-25 EASL Statistic Leaders

• Points: Dwayne Evans II — 26.0 ppg
• Rebounds: Kerry Blackshear Jr. — 11.8 rpg
• Assists: Kerry Blackshear Jr. — 5.5 apg
• Steals: Kerry Blackshear Jr. — 2.3 spg
• Blocks: Dwayne Evans Jr. — 2.0 bpg

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2024-25 EASL Results

• 1st in Group A 
• Group stage record: 4-1 
• Game 1: 78-67 win against Hong Kong Eastern (Hong Kong SAR) — Oct. 16, 2024 
• Game 2: 88-75 win against Hong Kong Eastern (Hong Kong SAR) — Oct. 30, 2024 
• Game 3: 80-78 loss against Suwon KT Sonicboom (KBL) — Dec. 4, 2024 
• Game 4: 84-73 win against Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (P. LEAGUE+) — Dec. 25, 2024
• Game 5: 94-63 win against San Miguel Beermen (PBA) — Jan. 8, 2025 

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2024-25 B.LEAGUE Statistic Leaders

• Points: Dwayne Evans II — 15.9 ppg
• Rebounds: Kerry Blackshear Jr. — 7.7 rpg
• Assists: Dwayen Evans II — 4.8 apg
• Steals: Kerry Blackshear Jr. — 1.2 spg
• Blocks: Dwayne Evans II — 1.1 bpg

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2024-25 B.LEAGUE Record 

• 5th in B.LEAGUE’s Western Conference
• Record: 13-17  
• Latest Game: 82-70 win against Nagasaki Velca (B.LEAGUE) — Jan. 11, 2024 

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2024-25 EASL Upcoming Games

• Home vs. Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (P. LEAGUE+) — Jan. 22, 2025

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Taoyuan Pauian Pilots By The Numbers  

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Team History

• Founded in 2020 

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2024-25 EASL Statistic Leaders

• Points: Treveon Graham — 28.0 ppg
• Rebounds: Jarrod Jones — 13.0 rpg
• Assists: Treveon Graham — 5.0 apg
• Steals: Li Chia-Kang, Kuan Ta-You — 1.0 spg
• Blocks: Alec Brown — 1.5 bpg

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2024-25 EASL Results 

• 2nd in Group A
• Group stage record: 3-1 
• Game 1: 91-70 win against Suwon KT Sonicboom (KBL) — Oct. 23, 2024
• Game 2: 101-85 win against San Miguel Beermen (PBA) — Nov. 13, 2024
• Game 3: 100-64 win against Suwon KT Sonicboom (KBL) — Dec. 11, 2024 
• Game 4: 84-73 loss against Hiroshima Dragonflies (B.LEAGUE) — Dec. 25, 2024

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2024-25 P. LEAGUE+ Statistic Leaders

• Points: Lu Chun-Hsiang — 18.8 ppg
• Rebounds: Julian Boyd — 11.1 rpg
• Assists: Pai Yao-Cheng — 4.7 apg
• Steals: Jarrod Jones — 1.9 spg
• Blocks: Alec Brown — 2.0 bpg

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2024-25 P. LEAGUE+ Record 

• 1st in P. LEAGUE+ Standings 
• Record: 12-3 
• Latest Game: 91-86 win against Tainan TSG GhostHawks (P. LEAGUE+) — Jan. 18, 2024 

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2024-25 EASL Upcoming Games

• Away vs. Hiroshima Dragonflies (B.LEAGUE) — Jan. 22, 2025 
• Home vs. Hong Kong Eastern (Hong Kong) — Feb. 5, 2025