Ryukyu Golden Kings Clinch Final Four Spot

The Ryukyu Golden Kings secured a spot in the 2024-25 East Asia Super League (EASL) Final Four with an 82-74 Group B victory over the New Taipei Kings on Dec. 25. Now 4-0 in regular-season play, they are the first team this season to clinch a postseason berth, doing so with two games remaining.

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The 2024-25 EASL Final Four, scheduled for March 7-9, offers a $1 million prize for the champion, $500,000 for the runner-up, and $250,000 for third place. Ryukyu’s qualification marks the second consecutive season a B.LEAGUE team has reached the Final Four, following the Chiba Jets’ championship win in 2023-24.

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Ryukyu opened its 2024-25 campaign with a 77-74 victory over the Meralco Bolts on Oct. 16 at Okinawa Arena. They followed with a 96-93 win over the Macau Black Bears in Macau on Oct. 30 and a 91-82 home win against the Busan KCC Egis on Dec. 4.

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Offseason acquisition Keve Aluma has been a standout, leading Ryukyu in scoring with 27.5 points per game. Jack Cooley is averaging a team-high 14.7 rebounds, while Ryuichi Kishimoto contributes 6.7 assists per game — also a team-best. In Ryukyu’s win over New Taipei, Kishimoto earned EASL Player of the Game honors after scoring 20 points, including six made 3-pointers.

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Before adopting a home-and-away format in 2023-24, EASL hosted the Super 8 and Terrific 12 tournaments. Ryukyu won the first edition of the Terrific 12, defeating the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the CBA. 

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The Golden Kings will make their first EASL Final Four appearance in March. They competed in the league’s inaugural season last year, finishing third in Group B with a 3-3 record. Ryukyu’s schedule for the rest of the season includes two away games — against New Taipei on Jan. 8, 2025, and against Meralco on Jan. 22, 2025.