The two representatives from the Philippine Basketball Association for the inaugural East Asia Super League tournament are set.
And these are the two crown jewels of the MVP Group and the San Miguel Corporation.
San Miguel will join TNT in the EASL after routing Meralco in Game 7 of the Philippine Cup semis, 100-89.
With this, both the Tropang Giga and the Beermen will enlist the services of two imports with whom they will play in the EASL tournament. Both teams, though, will only be allowed to play one of them in the Commissioner’s Cup which begins on September 21.
Now, the two flagship teams will dispute not just the Philippine Cup, but who they will be grouped with in the EASL.
Rulers at the end of the ongoing all-Filipino wars will play Anyang KGC of the Korean Basketball League (KBL), Japan B.League’s Ryukyu Golden Kings, and newly-crowned P. League+ champs Taipei Fubon Braves.
On the other hand, the bridesmaid finishers are set to slug it out with reigning titlists Seoul SK Knights, B.League champions Utsonomiya Brex, and another Greater China representative Bay Area Dragons.
The champion of the all-Filipino conference plays right off the bat in the season’s very first doubleheader on October 19, travelling to Korea and playing KBL runner-up Anyang.
The runner-up team, meanwhile, will host Bay Area in the other half of the twin bill.
San Miguel’s win also meant that June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez will no longer be part of Gilas Pilipinas’ pool for the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers’ fourth window from August 25 to 29.
Game One of the Philippine Cup Finals will take place on Sunday and will tip-off at 6:00PM at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Game Two, which will still be at the Big Dome, will take place on Wednesday, August 24 at 5:45 PM.
The series will move to the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Friday.
On August 28 at the Big Dome, the Best Player of the Conference will be crowned prior to Game Four.
If necessary, Games 5, 6, and 7 will take place at the Big Dome on August 31, September 2, and September 4, respectively.
