East Asia Super League: Hong Kong Eastern to join 10-team competition next season

Hong Kong team and Macau Black Bears will join teams from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Philippines for EASL second season

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Hong Kong Eastern under Zeljko Pavlicevic won the Asean Basketball League in their final season in that competition. Photo: Hong Kong Eastern

Published: 9:00am, 14 Aug 2024

Hong Kong Eastern will join an expanded East Asia Super League in October, as club officials continue their bid to reach the highest level of basketball in the region.

Originally expected to have eight teams, the second full season of the EASL will now boast 10 clubs, with Macau Black Bears also committing to the competition.

Two sides each from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines will make up the rest of the elite league, which tips off on October 2.

Eastern are expected to play their home games in Hong Kong but a home court has yet to be finalised, given that Kai Tak Sports Park, one of the potential venues, will not be ready when the season starts.

Club officials have been keen to expand their influence in the region, amid persistent efforts to land a slot in mainland China’s top-tier Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league.

B. League outfit Chiba Jets were crowned EASL champions in March. Photo: EASL

“Hong Kong has been striving hard for a professional basketball team to represent the city at the highest level,” said Wilson Choi Fong-yue, team leader of Eastern. “We want to be a major force in Asian basketball and to put Hong Kong on the map as a basketball powerhouse.”