FILE–Chris Newsome (No. 11) is mobbed by teammates after his heroics in Meralco’s victory over Ryukyu in Macau in the EASL. —EASL PHOTO
Meralco and San Miguel Beer will face separate teams at Mall of Asia Arena in a doubleheader on Oct. 2 to begin their respective campaigns in the East Asia Super League.
The Bolts tackle the Macau Black Bears while the Beermen play South Korea’s KT Sonicboom at the Pasay City showplace as the two PBA champions aim to put their best foot forward in the regional league.
Both teams will represent the PBA in the EASL by virtue of San Miguel winning the Commissioner’s Cup and Meralco capturing the Philippine Cup last season.
READ: PBA: San Miguel, Meralco off to EASL
San Miguel is in Group A which also includes B.League champion Hiroshima Dragonflies from Japan, P.League+ finalist Taoyuan Pauian Pilots of Taiwan and Hong Kong Eastern, which is close to being finalized as a guest team for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Meralco, in the EASL for the second straight year, is in Group B to also meet the B.League’s Ryukyu Golden Kings, P.League+ winner New Taipei Kings and Korean Basketball League titlist Busan KCC Egis of South Korea.
Eastern and Macau were added as the ninth and 10th teams of the league as representatives of Greater China.
READ: EASL looking to address PBA ‘challenges’
The home-and-away group stage will run until Feb. 12, 2025, with the EASL Final Four slated for March 7 to 9.
Last year’s EASL saw the PBA failing to send a representative to the Final Four in Cebu after Meralco and TNT didn’t get past the group phase.
Of the two teams, it was Meralco which showed semblance of competing for a semis slot despite winning just one game at the expense of Ryukyu.