BASKETBALL / Taiwan's PLG champs rout Tokyo, return to EASL Championship Game

Taipei, March 21 (CNA) The Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, defending champions of Taiwan's P.LEAGUE+ (PLG), secured their second straight berth in the East Asia Super League (EASL) championship game by trouncing Alvark Tokyo 102-76 in Macau on Friday.

William Artino recorded a double-double, including a game-high 26 points, as the Pilots posted another lopsided win in the EASL playoffs after upending the Seoul SK Knights 89-69 in Macau on Wednesday.

"We're right where we want to be," Artino, who joined the Pilots in the 2025 offseason, said of the team's advancing to the championship game. "It means a lot. I joined this team, and I want to help them get back to their goal."

Pilots head coach Iurgi Caminos echoed the sentiment.

"We didn't take a flight to Macau to play a final. We took a flight (here) to win the final, and on Sunday we have another chance," he said after the game, referring to the team's 72-68 loss to the Hiroshima Dragonflies in last season's EASL final.

Alvark Tokyo led by as many as 15 points in the second quarter, helped by 13 three-pointers and a 56.5-percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc in the first half.

Yet, despite making just one three-pointer in the first half, the Pilots clawed their way back to trail by only 54-50 at halftime.

After the break, Taoyuan stepped up its defense, limiting Tokyo to just 11 points in each of the third and fourth quarters and only 2-17 shooting from long range, while outscoring the Japanese side 52-22.

The Pilots were dominant throughout the game close to the basket, outscoring Tokyo 70-18 inside the paint and outrebounding their opponent 62-33.

Through two games in the EASL playoffs, the Pilots have leaned on their dominance inside to overcome their struggles from beyond the arc.

On Sunday, the Pilots will face the reigning champions of Japan's B.League, Utsunomiya Brex.

The winner will receive a US$1.5 million prize, while the loser will receive US$750,000.

Now in its third season, the EASL is an international 12-team competition independent of domestic leagues that operates similarly to a Champions League for East Asian basketball teams.

It features the best club teams from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Macau, Hong Kong and Mongolia.