EASL brings ‘Linsanity’ to Lapu-Lapu

FORMER NBA star Jeremy Lin will headline a stacked cast of professional players who will be competing in the semifinals and finals of the East Asia Super League 2023-24, which will be staged at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on March 8-10, 2024.

Competing in the semifinals are the New Taipei Kings, who will be headlined by Lin — the former NBA star who played for the New York Knicks, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets. Also in the Final Four are the Chiba Jets of Japan’s B.League, Korean Basketball League (KBL) side Seoul SK Knights, and the reigning KBL and EASL champions Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters.

The EASL’s stop in Cebu will feature four elimination games — two semifinals played on March 8, followed by the third-place game and the finals on March 10.

“Cebu is an incredible venue for the first EASL Final Four. It has some of the most passionate basketball fans in the Philippines. The Hoops Dome is a great arena that will be packed with local and traveling fans. And this is an amazing tourist destination — we are excited to showcase Cebu, including the magical resort island of Mactan, and the beautiful culture of the Philippines to our fans across the region,” EASL chief executive officer Henry Kerins said.

“The Final Four is going to be a world-class sports entertainment experience,” he added.

‍The winning team in this year’s Final Four will receive a $1 million first prize, as well as the title of EASL champion. The second-placed team will win $500,000, and the third-placed team will receive $250,000.