Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is set for his Meralco debut as the Bolts start their EASL campaign on the road against Japanese powerhouse Ryukyu Golden Kings.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and the Meralco Bolts begin their 2025-26 East Asia Super League (EASL) campaign against the Ryukyu Golden Kings on Wednesday, October 22, at 7:00 p.m. (JST) at the Okinawa Arena.
The Bolts, carrying momentum from a three-game winning streak in the PBA Philippine Cup (3-2), are eager to make an early statement in Group B.
Now reinforced by Hollis-Jefferson — TNT’s champion import — Meralco aims to finally turn promise into results after falling one win short of the EASL semifinals last season.
Head coach Luigi Trillo will also rely on Chris Newsome, Cliff Hodge, and the surging CJ Cansino to complement Hollis-Jefferson’s all-around playmaking against a battle-tested Ryukyu side.
[Related: CJ Cansino sets ego aside as he builds on PBA success with the Meralco Bolts]
The Golden Kings (0-1) are fresh off an EASL opening loss to the Taoyuan Pilots but have been in solid form domestically, winning four of their last five in the B.LEAGUE for a 4-3 record.
With Vic Law and Ryuichi Kishimoto leading the charge, Ryukyu will try to extend its 3-1 head-to-head dominance over Meralco in the regional stage.
It’s the third straight year both teams share the same EASL group — and another intense chapter is about to unfold in Okinawa.
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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]