THE Abra Weavers made a rousing debut in the East Asia Super League (EASL), withstanding a fierce late-game rally from Hong Kong Eastern to claim a 79-72 victory before the jam-packed crowd at the SM Seaside City Arena on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Displaying resilience and balanced scoring, the Weavers controlled most of the contest and built their largest lead of the night at 12 points, 52-40, midway through the third quarter. Abra maintained its cushion when Jaylen Johnson drained a deep three-pointer to push the lead to 69-57 with 4:32 remaining in the final frame.
However, Hong Kong Eastern refused to fade away. Akili Vining answered immediately with a triple to trim the deficit, and Jenning Leung fired another clutch three-pointer in the final 120 seconds to pull Hong Kong within striking distance at 75-70.
Abra’s veteran center Michael Eric stepped up with a crucial score in the dying minutes to secure the win for Abra on its debut in the EASL.
Padi Ibrahim and Jalen Johnson led Abra Weavers with 14 points apiece, while Derrick Fenner chipped in 13.
Malick Diouf had only four points but made his presence felt inside the paint with 12 rebounds. Michael Eric added 10 points and five rebounds.
For the losing Hong Kong Eastern, Akili Vining paced all scorers with a game-high 26 points, with three coming from beyond the rainbow territory. He was followed by Jenning Leung with 20 points and six triples, while Ramon Cao chipped in 13 points.
In the post-game interview, Abra head coach Yong Garcia acknowledged the tense moments down the stretch, emphasizing the need to tighten up defensively when the going gets tough.
“When they had the rally, we had a problem that time on our defensive scheme; that’s why I reminded my team to focus on our defense,” Garcia said in Tagalog.
He admitted that the win was a major morale booster for the team, but warned his players against complacency.
“This (win) is a boost for the team, for sure. I always tell them that the key to success is preparation and giving it all out. Give your all efforts,” he added.
Dave Ildefonso highlighted the collective mentality that defines the Weavers’ roster this season.
“This first game really was a character. If you look at our guys, if you look at our lineup, there’s a bunch of players who just want to prove themselves like me. DJ Fenner is there he’s still trying to prove at his age he’s still a high-level player. Michael is there trying to prove na he’s still at the top of his game at his age. So, you know if you look at us as a team, we’re really here,” Ildefonso shared in a post-game interview.
Meanwhile, the Taipei Fubon Braves kicked off the 2026–27 season with a 103–89 victory over tournament debutants Macau Hou Chon.
Behind a monster double-double from big man Marko Todorovic and sensational perimeter shooting from Chou Kuei-Yu, the Braves established control early and withstood every late charge from the Macau squad. / JBM