New Taipei Kings clinch EASL final four spot, Black Bears eliminated

The New Taipei Kings claimed the last spot in the 2025 East Asia Super League (EASL) Final Four.

With a 106-96 double-overtime victory over the Meralco Bolts, the Kings have officially punched their ticket to Macau by clinching Group B’s number 2 seed behind Ryukyu Golden Kings, who topped Group B with five wins in six games.

In the same group, the Macau Black Bears finished third, with three wins in six matches, so they are out of contention.

As the Times previously reported, the Final Four 2025 will be held at Macau’s Studio City from March 7 to 9.

The two teams from Group B joined the top two finishers of Group A, including the group winners, Hiroshima Dragonflies and the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, who finished the group stage in second place.

As the last team to qualify, the Kings will face Group A’s No. 1 seed, the Dragonflies, in the first semifinal. In the second semifinal, the Golden Kings will take on the Pilots.

The first semifinal will tip off at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7, followed by the second at 9:00 p.m. The winners will advance to the Championship game on Sunday, March 9, at 7:00 p.m., while the losing teams will meet in the Third-Place match earlier that day at 4:00 p.m.

The EASL Final Four 2025 champions will receive USD1 million (over MOP8 million), while the runner-up team will earn USD500,000 (over MOP4 million). The third-place team will receive USD250,000 (over MOP2 million).

This will be the first time the Final Four will take place in Macau, and the EASL notes that this fact underscores the league’s commitment to expanding its footprint in the Greater Bay Area.