The Ryukyu Golden Kings have secured their first-ever Emperor’s Cup victory, defeating B. LEAGUE rivals the Tokyo Alvark 60-49 in the final. For the last two seasons, the Golden Kings had finished as runners-up behind the Chiba Jets. For the second straight year, a B. LEAGUE team representing the East Asia Super League has claimed the Emperor’s Cup, following Chiba's triumph in the 2023-24 season.

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Ryukyu's victory in the Emperor's Cup comes just a week after its participation in the EASL Final Four 2025. After finishing the group stage with an impressive 5-1 record, the Golden Kings entered the Final Four as heavy favorites but were ultimately disappointed by consecutive losses to two Chinese-Taipei teams — the eventual second-place Taoyuan Pauian Pilots and the New Taipei Kings in the third-place game. This saw Ryukyu finish fourth out of four teams.

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Meanwhile, the Hiroshima Dragonflies, champions of the EASL Final Four 2025, were eliminated from the Emperor’s Cup in the semifinals. They lost to the Tokyo Alvark 85-75 in early February.

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Although Ryukyu’s Emperor’s Cup win does not impact its chances of returning to EASL for the 2025-26 season, the Golden Kings are in a strong position in the B. LEAGUE. Boasting a 28-13 record, they are currently the top seed in the Western District and are poised for a deep playoff run in May.

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The Emperor's Cup is a basketball tournament in Japan, organized by the Japanese Basketball Association (JBA). It features both professional B. LEAGUE teams and amateur regional clubs, with a single-elimination format spanning five rounds. The competition begins with regional teams in the First Round, followed by B1 League teams and other professional clubs in the subsequent rounds.