PBA breakthrough in EASL?

Since EASL set up shop in 2017, it has organized six tournaments and no PBA team has ever made it to a final. NLEX came in fourth in the Super Eight in 2017 and San Miguel Beer also finished fourth in the Terrific Twelve in 2019. In the 2023 Champions Week, TNT and San Miguel went winless in two games each. And in the inaugural home-and-away season that ended last March, TNT and Meralco failed to make it to the Final Four with both teams winning once in six outings.

But Meralco and San Miguel hope to make a breakthrough this season. The Bolts are off to a strong start with a 2-1 record and three more regular season games to go. San Miguel is struggling with a 0-2 mark and four contests left. The Beermen are in Group A with Taiwan Plus League runner-up Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (2-0), Japan B-League champion Hiroshima Dragonflies (2-0), Korean Basketball League runner-up Suwon KT Sonicboom (1-1) and Hong Kong D-1 champion Hong Kong Eastern (0-2). Meralco is in Group B with B-League runner-up Ryukyu Golden Kings (2-0), The Asian Tournament runner-up Macau Black Bears (2-2), Plus League champion New Taipei Kings (0-1) and KBL champion Busan KCC Egis (0-2). The top two placers of each group advance to the Final Four starting on March 7. There will be no playoffs in case of a tie at the end of the 30-game regular season on Feb. 12 so deadlocks will be broken by the quotient system.

In Group A, Taoyuan and Hiroshima are ahead of the pack. San Miguel engages Eastern on Dec. 18, Hiroshima on Jan. 8, Eastern again on Jan. 15 and Suwon on Feb. 12. The Beermen lost to Suwon, 87-81 and to Taoyuan, 101-85, both at home. With only one home game remaining, San Miguel faces a big challenge in trying to pick up wins on the road. Consistency is crucial as EJ Anosike scored 34 points against Suwon but only eight against Taoyuan. Quincy Miller had eight against Suwon and 32 against Taoyuan. If both imports are able to produce as they’re capable of, San Miguel will be tough to beat with June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter and Terrence Romeo in the lineup.

In Group B, it could be a mad scramble for the top two slots with Ryukyu the only unbeaten squad. The Bolts nearly bowled over the Golden Kings and lost by only three in Okinawa. So far, the Bolts have brought down Macau, 97-85 and Busan, 81-80. Meralco plays the KCC Egis again on Dec. 18 then Ryukyu at home on Jan. 22 and New Taipei on Feb. 12. The Bolts got a big lift from Akil Mitchell in posting their second win at Busan’s expense. Expect the KCC Egis to go all out for revenge when they attempt to defend homecourt in the rematch on Dec. 18. Meralco governor Atty. Bill Pamintuan said the upset over Busan was a thrill. “We’re very happy for the fans to experience that game with us,” he said. Coach Luigi Trillo said Meralco is gunning for the championship. “We’re in it to win it and I really believe we can,” he said.

Since the start of the EASL season, Meralco hasn’t played Aaron Black, CJ Cansino and Allein Maliksi. Brandon Bates sat out the Busan game with a hamstring strain. With a complete cast, the Bolts will be serious title contenders. Same thing with San Miguel. If coach Jorge Gallent’s troops play to their potential, the Beermen will be knocking on the Final Four door, too.