IN THE wake of the devastation caused by typhoon Tino last week, basketball-loving Cebuanos will have a chance to lift their spirits as the East Asia Super League (EASL) returns to Cebu.
This Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, the Meralco Bolts and the Macau Black Bears will clash in a Group B elimination match, which is expected to be a physical and thrilling encounter starting 6 p.m. at the Cebu Coliseum.
A high-level game is anticipated, as both teams boast star-studded rosters featuring top-caliber imports and reinforcements.
Beyond the competition, the matchup will also serve a humanitarian purpose — it will be a charity game. All proceeds will be donated to the victims of typhoon Tino, which struck on Nov. 4, claiming over a hundred lives and causing massive destruction across Cebu.
The event is being held in partnership with the Cebu City government.
The Meralco Bolts, representing the PBA in the EASL, will enter the court carrying a 1–2 record, currently sitting in third place in Group B.
Last Nov. 8, Meralco defeated the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, 85–76, at the Capital Arena in Ilagan, Isabela.
Vahedi Mohammadsina, an Iranian point guard, and Ismael Romero, a Puerto Rican big man, led the Bolts with 22 points each.
Mohammadsina also tallied seven assists and one steal, while Romero registered a double-double after pulling down 14 rebounds. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Chris Newsome contributed 15 and 14 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, the game will mark the season debut of the Macau Black Bears. The team is led by Phoenix Shackelford, Lao Chong Pong, Omari Peek-Green, Torrence Watson, and Damian Chong Qui.
Macau enters the new season after a 2024–25 campaign that ended with a 3–3 record, which included a surprising upset over the New Taipei Kings.
Chong Qui returns to the lineup following a productive season where he led the EASL in assists, averaging 9.0 per game for a total of 54 assists — the most in a single EASL season.
Shackelford and Peek-Green, both standouts from U.S. college basketball, are also expected to play key roles in their first appearance in the league.