ARVIN Tolentino will be flying the Philippine flag high in the rebranded East Asia Super League Finals.
Tolentino and the Seoul SK Knights booked a seat in the post-season play of the Home and Away Season 3 set March 18 to 20 in Macau.
The Knights finished as the no. 2 team in Group A at 4-2 to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals along with Utsonomiya Brex.
The 30-year-old Tolentino has been going great guns for the Knights in his maiden Korean Basketball League season, averaging 11.4 points and 2.6 rebounds while averaging a high 41 percent from three-point range.
He also emerged as the MVP of the recent KBL All-Star after leading Team Asia past Team Rookie, 82-79.
But he’s been balling even better in the EASL where he’s been averaging 18.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.
Making to the playoffs meant Tolentino has a chance to become the second Filipino to have a shot at winning an EASL championship after Rhenz Abando won it with the Anyang KGC during the 2023 Champions Week ironically, at the expense of the SK Knights.
The Knights and Tolentino will be up against Group B no. 2 Taoyuan Pauian Pilots in the crossover quarterfinals.
The other playoff bracket features Group A no. 1 Utsunomiya Brex against Group C no. 2 New Taipei Kings.
Both are do-or-die matches with the winner advancing to the semis.
Owing to carrying the best record at the end of the group stage, Ryukyu Golden Kings (Group A) and Alvark Tokyo advanced to the semis outright. Both teams finished their respective campaigns with similar 5-1 standings.
READ: Ryukyu Golden Kings slam EASL playoff door on Meralco, Brownlee
The Golden Kings actually clinched the incentive with an 88-79 beating of the Meralco Bolts last Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, in the process denying the Bolts a maiden stint in the post-season.
The Golden Kings will meet the winner between Brex and Taipei Kings, while Alvark takes on the survivor of the Knights-Pilots encounter.
In all, three teams from the B. League advanced to the EASL Finals, one from the KBL, and two from Taipei.
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