Chiba ousts New Taipei to face Seoul SK in EASL final
Chiba Jets stay unbeaten and are headed to the EASL Final.
LAPU-LAPU CITY—Yuki Togashi led a stirring finish as the Chiba Jets outlasted the New Taipei Kings, 92-84, Friday night to arrange a showdown with the Seoul SK Knights for the championship of the East Asia Super League (EASL) here.
Togashi either scored or assisted in seven of the nine points the B.League side made after trailing 82-79 during the crucial stretches of the payoff period to move one win from completing a sweep of the continental tournament’s first home-and-away season.
The Japan national team star finished with 28 points and five assists to power Chiba into the final against Seoul, which earlier eliminated 2023 Champions Week winner Anyang Jung Kwan Jang and Filipino mainstay Rhenz Abando.
Imports Xavier Cooks and John Mooney added 24 and 22 points for the Jets, who came into this city a day earlier following a midweek B.League match.
New Taipei fell short of an upset in a game that saw Taiwan’s P+League squad playing sans Jeremy Lin, who was scratched due to a foot injury.
His brother Joseph, however, kept the Kings close and even led a few times, finishing with a game-high 21 in the loss.
Hayden Blankley, who played for the guest team Bay Area Dragons in last season’s PBA Commissioner’s Cup, had 17 but cooled off in the second half after hitting shots from the outside.
The Kings will face Abando and the Red Boosters in the consolation match for third, also on Sunday.
Togashi’s three tied the game at 82-all and Chiba never trailed since.
After Shuta Hara put the Jets ahead with a triple, Togashi scored then countered a basket by New Taipei’s Austin Daye by feeding Mooney to make it 89-84 with under a minute left in the contest.
