The Meralco Bolts' EASL Finals hopes took a hit after the Ryukyu Golden Kings' comeback win over the Taoyuan Pilots in a crucial Group B showdown.
The road to the East Asia Super League Finals just got tougher for the Meralco Bolts after the Ryukyu Golden Kings pulled off an 88–82 win over the Taoyuan Pilots on Wednesday at the Okinawa Suntory Arena in Japan.
With the result, the Group B playoff spots of the 2025-26 EASL season are still up for grabs.
The matchup stayed tight through three quarters before Ryukyu clamped down defensively in the fourth, holding Taoyuan to just 11 points to take control of the game.
Five Golden Kings scored in double figures, led by Jack Cooley with 16 points.
Damyean Dotson added 15, while Japanese sharpshooter Ryuichi Kishimoto chipped in 14. Alex Kirk finished with 12 points, and Ryo Sadohara rounded out the balanced attack with 11.
Taoyuan leaned heavily once again on Lu Chun-Hsiang, who poured in 32 points, while former NBA big man Alec Brown posted a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double in the losing effort.
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The result pushed Ryukyu to the top of Group B with a 4–1 record, while Taoyuan slipped to second at 4–2.
With Ryukyu securing the win, Meralco now faces an added hurdle in its bid for an EASL Finals berth.
It won’t be enough for the Bolts to simply beat the Golden Kings in their upcoming matchup next week at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
They must win by more than nine points to overturn their earlier 81–72 loss to the B.LEAGUE powerhouse last October and gain the necessary tiebreak advantage. The EASL will also provide additional tiebreaker scenarios for a triple tie.
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Meralco gets its shot at meeting that challenge next Wednesday, Feb. 11.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.