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| (Image Source: ASEAN Sports/East Asia Super League) |
The Asia League has been officially rebranded and is now known as the East
Asia Super League (EASL), but its new chapter doesn't hinder the league to stage
a crowd favorite tournament that is slated to be held in a few weeks. The EASL
Terrific 12 will make its return to Macau on September 17-22, 2019 at the Tap Seac
Multi-Sports Pavillion. The good news about this year's tilt is that the week-long
joust will feature a strong Filipino presence courtesy of the Philippine
Basketball Association (PBA).
San Miguel Beermen and TNT Katropa, the last two teams standing in the
2019 PBA Commissioner's Cup, are set to compete in the tilt representing Asia's
first pay-to-play professional basketball league. However, the spotlight is on Blackwater
Elite which is seeking retribution and redemption on its return after last
year's Super 8 tournament. Blackwater produced great results in the 2018 PBA
Governor's Cup after falling short of a semifinals stint in the Super 8. Following
its return from Macau, Blackwater garnered its best finish in the PBA by
reaching the Governor's Cup quarterfinals only to have its momentum stopped by
last year's conference champion Magnolia.
The 2019 EASL Terrific 12 presents a new opportunity and chance for the
Elite to grow further after topping its 2018 Governors' Cup performance by
making the 2019 PBA Commissioner's Cup playoffs as the number three seed. A
strong performance in the Terrific 12 could help unlock the team's potential
but that would not be an easy trip for Blackwater towards its new goal as it
will take on decorated opponents in Group A. These are Chiba Jets of Japan, the
first Asia League champions back in 2017, and SK Knights of South Korea which
didn't fare well in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) lately and is considered
the Terrific 12 as the perfect place for them to start a comeback in preparation
for the upcoming season.
Recognized and sanctioned by FIBA, the 2019 East Asia Super League
Terrific 12 tournament will be participated by three teams from the Chinese
Basketball Association (CBA), four from Japan's B.League, two from Korean Basketball
League (KBL) and three from the PBA. The joust will consist of sixteen epic
games to be played out in total to crown this year's champion. It will kick off
with the Group Stage where clubs will be divided into four groups of three with
each team playing two games. The top team from each group will advance to compete
in the Semi-Finals following a rest day on September 20. The 2019 EASL Terrific
12 champion will take home the grand cash prize of US$150,000 while the
runner-up will take home US$100,000. The third place team, on the other hand,
will win US$50,000.
Blackwater Elite will begin their road to redemption in the Terrific 12
as it is set to kick off the tournament against the SK Knights on September 17.
The Elite will then return to the court the next day and take on the Chiba
Jets. The games of the 2019 Terrific 12 tournament will be available for online
streaming on EASL's official YouTube channel where you can also relive previous
tournaments as well. For more updates on the Terrific 12, follow East Asia
Super League on Facebook (@EastAsiaSuperLeague) and Twitter (@EASLofficial).
