10 Teams, 10 Days: Hong Kong Eastern

‍Our East Asia Super League editorial staff breaks down the key storylines, players and statistics of each franchise as tip-off nears.

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Hong Kong Eastern

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Hong Kong Eastern enter the 2024-25 East Asia Super League field as one of two new expansion teams and will play in Group A.

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In the 2023-24 season, Eastern picked up its second-ever Hong Kong A1 Division championship since joining the league in 2016. Hong Kong is also the reigning ASEAN Basketball League Invitational winner after defeating Vietnamese team, the Saigon Heat in three games.

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Eastern’s inaugural EASL campaign comes as an opportunity to showcase its talents internationally. In recent years, the ballclub has impressed domestically and is now ready to compete against Asia’s best.

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Here’s everything you need to know about Hong Kong Eastern:

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3-pointers

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1. Next Stop: EASL

Despite finishing second in the regular season standings, Hong Kong clinched the 2023-24 HKA1 title, defeating the No. 1 seed Tycoon Basketball Team in four games. Star forward Chris McLaughlin led Eastern with team-highs in scoring and rebounding (16 ppg, 11.2 rpg) while shooting an impressive 53.6% from the floor.

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Outside of the HKA1, Hong Kong also found success at the 2023 ASEAN Basketball League Invitational. In similar fashion to its domestic championship run, Eastern earned the No. 2 seed — winning 10 of its 14 games — before taking down the regular-season victors Saigon Heat.

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Hong Kong’s EASL berth signifies that the young organization is ready to take on East Asia. Quite simply, it wants to. Eastern showed glimpses on the international stage — by defeating teams spanning from Thailand to the Philippines — and is only getting started.

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2. Proving Doubters Wrong

Hong Kong doesn’t often come to mind when thinking of Asian basketball powerhouses. Resident names include Japan’s B.LEAGUE, Korea’s KBL, China’s CBA and more. Eastern wants to change that.

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By qualifying for the Champions League of East Asian basketball, Hong Kong’s chances of becoming a household brand are amplified. But securing another trophy isn’t the franchise’s only goal. Eastern sees the EASL as an audition on behalf of the HKA1. It will serve as a representative for all to realize that Hong Kong can ball, too.

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3. Basketball Without Borders

Traveling to four different countries and spending over 45 days on the road, one of Eastern’s toughest challenges in winning the 2023 ABL title was that they didn’t play any home games.

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However, in this year’s 2024-25 EASL season, Hong Kong will have the opportunity to compete at home. Facing elite international competition, Eastern now has the benefit of competing behind a raucous home crowd.

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But an edge in league play isn’t the only benefit for the region to enjoy. Local eyes have the opportunity to watch high-level basketball, broadening interest in the sport among the younger generation.

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Additionally, tourists flocking to Hong Kong for a shopping spree or to visit the beautiful Victoria Peak can also experience an Eastern game — another attraction for foreigners.

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Players To Watch

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1. Leung Ka Hin (Marco)

An efficient, sharpshooting 6-foot-1 guard, Leung Ka Hin (Marco) notched team-highs in field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free-throw percentage during the 2023-24 season.

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Behind import players McLaughlin and Dominic Gilbert, Leung’s 9.7 points per game was third-best for Hong Kong.

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2. Chan Siu-Wing (Stephen)

A staple in Hong Kong’s starting lineup, Eastern captain Chan Siu Wing is a speedy ball-handler and big-time shot-maker. In the 2016-17 ABL season, Chan notably hit a buzzer-beater 3 from the left corner to defeat eventual runners-up — the Singapore Slingers. That year, Eastern ended up clinching its first-ever ABL title.

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3. Chris McLaughlin

McLaughlin — a Canadian international — joined Hong Kong in 2023. In his first campaign with Eastern, he was named Best Defensive Player during Eastern’s ABL championship win.

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A commanding presence down low, McLaughlin also played a key role in helping Hong Kong secure its second HKA1 title. The 6-foot-10 center finished with Finals MVP honors.

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Hong Kong Eastern By The Numbers

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Hong Kong Eastern’s 2023-24 Season

• Regular season record: 13-1
• Finished 2nd in HKA1 regular season standings
• Defeated Winling (2-1) and Tycoon Basketball Team (3-1) to win HKA1 Championship

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Hong Kong Eastern’s 2023-24 Statistic Leaders

• Points: Chris McLaughlin — 16.0 ppg
• Rebounds: Chris McLaughlin — 11.2 rpg
• Assists: Dominic Gilbert — 4.7 apg
• Steals: Dominic Gilbert — 1.5 spg
• Blocks: Chris McLaughlin — 1.5 bpg

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Team Schedule

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