LAPU-LAPU CITY—The East Asia Super League (EASL) Final Four gets a Philippine touch as Rhenz Abando suits up for the Anyang Jung Kwan Jang in the three-day event at the Hoops Dome in Lapu Lapu, Cebu.
The 25-year-old former Gilas Pilipinas standout already saw action for the Korean Basketball League (KBL) side last Sunday against Goyang Sono three months following his harrowing fall in which he sustained multiple injuries.
Abando finished with 17 points, four rebounds, four steals, and three assists in a 92-87 win.
Unfortunately, another Filipino in Juan Gomez de Liano won’t be playing for the other KBL team Seoul SK Knights as the guard out of University of the Philippines underwent season-ending surgery on his finger.
The Red Boosters and the Knights are set to clash in the ‘March Madness’ version of the EASL, which has the Philippine Airlines, Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort, and TikTok as official partners and Anta, McDonald’s, and Spalding as product partners.
The two Korean sides battle each other at 5 p.m. this Friday, followed by the collision between the undefeated Chiba Jets of B. League and the Jeremy Lin-bannered New Taipei Kings of the P. League+ at 8 p.m.
Winners of the two semis pairings will meet in the Finals set Sunday where the winner takes home a cool $1 million prize money.
Except for the Jets, all three teams already arrived in the Queen City of the South on Wednesday.
Philippine Ambassador to Korea Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega attended the game of Abando along with embassy officials and members of the local Filipino community to send off the former NCAA Rookie-MVP from Letran and the rest of the Red Boosters in their EASL title bid.