Seoul SK missed a chance to be crowned East Asian champions after falling to the Chiba Jets of Japan.
SK fell 69-72 in the 2023-24 East Asian Super League (EASL) Final Four against Chiba at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines on Tuesday (Feb. 10).
This was SK’s third consecutive runner-up finish, following the 2019 TURIFIC 12 and 2023 Champions Week. Chiba, the inaugural champions of the 2017 SuperEight, the inaugural tournament of the EASL, once again reigned supreme in East Asia.
Chiba ace Yuki Tomasi led the way with 22 points and seven assists. John Mooney chipped in with 16 points. Meanwhile, SK’s Jamil Warney chipped in with 22 points and 17 rebounds, but was unable to shine in the loss.
It was Chiba who struck first on the night. Behind the game-orchestrating play of Japan’s top star, guard Yuki Tomasi, Ira Brown, John Mooney, and Xavier Cooks all scored in bunches to take the lead.
SK failed to properly utilize their main man, Warney. When Warney, who is strong under the basket, was pushed to the perimeter, SK lost its scoring options. They ended the first quarter trailing 16-21.
After swallowing their disappointment, SK effectively defended Yuki Tomasi’s two-man game in the second quarter and took advantage of the fast break. In quick transition, Ahn Young-joon, Oh Jae-hyun, and others scored to turn the tide late in the second quarter. After suffering a blow, Ziva reactivated its offense at the end of the second quarter and ended the quarter with a 37-34 lead.
SK came back in the third quarter with Warney’s offense leading the way. Warney’s floaters became more and more potent, and the defense 바카라사이트 stayed active to keep Ziva’s offense at bay. Fast breaks also generated a lot of points, and the third quarter ended with the score tied at 54-51.
With the game on the line, Chiba rallied back into the game early in the fourth quarter with the help of Ace Togashi. SK, on the other hand, struggled with poor shooting from Warney “The Cannon” Warney. Eventually, Chiba took a 70-66 lead with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter, thanks to back-to-back baskets from Togashi.
SK didn’t give up until the end. Ahn Young-joon’s three-pointer with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter cut the deficit to 69-70. The defense then gave them a chance to tie the game, but a shot clock violation gave them the offense with 25 seconds left in the fourth quarter. In the end, it was Ziva’s turn to win the championship.