EASL Tip-Off 2024 will feature the San Miguel Beermen and the Meralco Bolts in the first game day at the MOA Arena.
East Asia Super League (EASL) is set to launch the 2024-25 season with a can’t-miss double-header at Manila’s iconic SM Mall of Asia Arena on October 2, 2024.
EASL Tip-Off 2024 will showcase two highly-anticipated matchups featuring some of the best teams in Asian basketball, including those from h\the Philippine Basketball Association.
The opening game at 6:00 p.m. will see the San Miguel Beermen, champions of the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup, go head-to-head with Korea’s Suwon KT Sonicboom, 2024 KBL Finals runner-up.
The second game starting at 8:00 p.m., will be the Meralco Bolts, the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup champions, matching up against Macau Basketball League champions the Macau Black Bears.
The San Miguel Beermen are led by PBA legend June Mar Fajardo, a 10-time PBA champion who has won the PBA Most Valuable Player award eight times.
Fajardo and the Beermen will face off against a KT Sonicboom side that feature Heo Hoon, a talented point guard known for his scoring prowess and playmaking ability. Heo averaged 15.1 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game last KBL season.
The Meralco Bolts are familiar faces in the EASL, with most of their key players returning for a second season.
Star Chris Newsome was an integral part of the Bolts’ run last season, averaging 16.8 points in four EASL games, including a 27-point effort against the Ryukyu Golden Kings to lead Meralco to its first victory in EASL play.
The Macau Black Bears are coming off a record season, and are led by point guard Jenning Leung, who has been with the team since January 2018.
EASL Tip-Off 2024 marks the beginning of a season that promises intense competition, with 34 games scheduled across the region, culminating in the EASL Final Four in March 2025.
EASL CEO Henry Kerins commented, “Starting the season in Manila is a perfect way to showcase the passion and energy of EASL, both on the court and off it.”
“We expect high intensity competition, with exciting entertainment and activations for fans to experience during the games. EASL Tip-Off 2024 is just the beginning of what we expect to be another amazing season of the best basketball in Asia.”