The reigning Japanese champions struggled in the first half, but then turned it on. A two-game winning streak propelled them to the top of Group A.
The Hiroshima Dragon Price (Japan) defeated Eastern (Hong Kong) 88-75 on Tuesday at Wan Chai South Hon Stadium in Hong Kong in the East Asian Super League (EASL) 2024-2025 Season Group A Qualifier.
Japan’s B.League champions Hiroshima nearly suffered a major nosebleed. Their opponent, Eastern, is new to the EASL this season. They’re one of the top teams in Hong Kong. They won the Hong Kong League 카지노 사이트 추천 last season.
Nevertheless, given their league level, an easy win was expected. They had already met in the first round of the group stage and won 78-67. However, this time was different.
Hiroshima finished the first quarter with a slim 20-19 lead, but struggled in the second quarter. They lost control of Christopher McLaughlin, starting with a mid-range shot to Cameron Clarke. They gave up 12 straight points with no options – inside, outside, or free throws.
At the end of the quarter, Hiroshima fought back with back-to-back three-pointers from Toshiki Kamisawa and Ryo Yamazaki, but it wasn’t enough to take the lead. At the end of the first half, the score was 37-44, Hiroshima trailing.
The third quarter was when Hiroshima’s momentum picked up. Ryo and Keijiro Mitani crashed the rim in quick succession, and Kerry Blackshear Jr. hit a mid-range jumper to tie the game at 49-48 midway through the quarter. Ira Brown’s dunk and Nick Mayo’s three-point play extended the lead. At the end of the third quarter, the score was 64-58, Hiroshima’s lead.
The momentum of the third quarter continued into the fourth quarter. Mayo’s outside shooting exploded at the start. Brown and Blackshear Jr. didn’t stop scoring either. A three-pointer from Kamisawa seemed to tilt the balance of the game, but Eastern answered back. Back-to-back free throws from McLaughlin cut the deficit to 79-73. However, Brown put out the fire with a three-pointer to end the game with a smile on her face.
With the victory, Hiroshima extended its winning streak to two games and moved into first place in Group A. Blasier Jr. (25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and four steals) led the way for the win, while Ryo (13 points, three 3-pointers, three rebounds, and two assists) and Mayo (11 points, nine rebounds, and four assists) chipped in. Hiroshima will play Game 3 against Suwon KT on Dec. 4.
Eastern, meanwhile, remained at the bottom of Group A with its second straight loss. The foreign duo of McLaughlin (24 points, 14 rebounds, three steals) and Clarke (13 points, seven rebounds) provided a spark, but the team was unable to recover from a lapse in concentration in the second half.