Black Bears lose pace, Kings win Macau Classic rematch

The Macau Black Bears were defeated 95-114 by the New Taipei Kings in the final game of a doubleheader on Wednesday evening at Studio City. This marked the Kings’ second game of the year in the East Asia Super League (EASL) and their first victory of the season.

The Kings took control early, building a significant lead that they maintained throughout the game, ultimately winning by 19 points. The Kings surged to a 33-17 lead after the first quarter and continued their dominance by outscoring the Bears 35-17 in the third quarter, securing a comprehensive victory.

A standout performance came from former NBA star Jeremy Lin, who led the Kings in scoring with 27 points. Lin was also named Player of the Game, earning his first such honor of the season.

At halftime, Kings head coach Ryan Marchand emphasized the importance of securing a win, stating, “We’re trying to win. In EASL, you probably need to get four wins to move on, so we know we’re in trouble if we lose this game.” The message was clearly heard, as the Kings came out focused, shooting an impressive 69% from the field in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the Bears struggled offensively, shooting just 23% in the opening period.

The Bears introduced new players to their lineup, including Adonis Thomas, Johnny Wang, and Lei Cheong, all making their EASL debuts. Head coach Garrett Kelly experimented with different rotations following the departures of key players Jeantal Cylla and Will Artino. Unlike their victory in October, when only eight players saw action, all 12 active players participated in this game.

“We brought in some talent, and they’re just trying to get used to each other,” Kelly said in a halftime interview. “We tried our best during practice, but really, you’ve got to do it in front of a great crowd like this and against a really good team. They’re learning on the fly right now.”

Unfortunately for the Bears, the new players struggled to gel with the team. Wang and Lei failed to score, while Thomas managed only 13 points on 33% shooting.

The Kings, reigning champions of the P. LEAGUE+ (Taiwan’s professional men’s basketball league), were in peak form, hitting 48% of their three-point attempts. In contrast, the Bears struggled from beyond the arc, converting just 24% of their attempts—a significant 27% difference compared to their previous encounter, which the Bears had won.

At the end of the game, Lin shared his thoughts: “It’s going to be hard. I feel that EASL has gotten better. They also added a fifth team to each group, so we see the competition is getting better and better. And for us, it comes down to execution and attention to detail. This is high-quality basketball, with the best teams from other leagues. It just comes down to doing what the coach wants us to do.” Lin also expressed gratitude to the fans, stating, “We’re here in Macau today as the away team, but I honestly felt like the home team tonight. Thank you to all the fans who came out. I see all the different jerseys you’re wearing. I’m very grateful from the bottom of my heart.”

Looking ahead, the Kings will face the Ryukyu Golden Kings of Japan Dec. 25, while the Bears will have a month-long break before returning to action Jan. 15 against the Busan KCC Egis from Korea.

In the other game of the evening, the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots defeated the Suwon KT Sonicboom from Korea 100-64, maintaining a perfect record of three wins in three games. The Pilots currently lead Group A, followed by the Hiroshima Dragonflies, while the Ryukyu Golden Kings lead Group B, ahead of the Meralco Bolts.