Macau – The Taoyuan Pauian Pilots of Taiwan’s P.LEAGUE+ emphatically advanced to the championship game of the East Asia Super League (EASL) on Friday, defeating Alvark Tokyo 102-76 in a dominant performance at the EASL playoffs in Macau. The victory secures the Pilots’ second consecutive appearance in the EASL final.
William Artino led the Pilots with a game-high 26 points and a double-double, bolstering a team effort that saw Taoyuan overcome a significant early deficit. Artino, who joined the team during the 2025 offseason, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s progress. “We’re right where we want to be,” he said. “It means a lot. I joined this team, and I want to help them receive back to their goal.”
Despite a strong first-half shooting performance from Alvark Tokyo, which included 13 three-pointers and a 56.5% success rate from beyond the arc, the Pilots managed to stay within striking distance, trailing 54-50 at halftime. Tokyo’s early lead peaked at 15 points during the second quarter.
The Pilots dramatically shifted the momentum after the break, implementing a more aggressive defensive strategy. This resulted in Tokyo being limited to just 11 points in both the third and fourth quarters, and a dismal 2-for-17 shooting performance from three-point range in the second half. Taoyuan capitalized, outscoring their opponents 52-22 in the final two quarters.
Taoyuan’s dominance inside the paint proved crucial, with the team scoring 70 points close to the basket compared to Tokyo’s 18. The Pilots also controlled the boards, outrebounding their opponents 62-33. This interior dominance has been a key factor in the Pilots’ playoff success, helping them overcome challenges with outside shooting.
Pilots head coach Iurgi Caminos emphasized the team’s focus on winning the championship. “We didn’t take a flight to Macau to play a final. We took a flight (here) to win the final, and on Sunday we have another chance,” he stated, referencing last season’s 72-68 loss to the Hiroshima Dragonflies in the EASL final.
The Pilots will face Utsunomiya Brex, the reigning champions of Japan’s B.League, in the championship game on Sunday. The winner will receive a prize of US$1.5 million, while the runner-up will receive US$750,000. The EASL, now in its third season, is a 12-team competition featuring the top club teams from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Macau, Hong Kong, and Mongolia, operating independently of domestic leagues.
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