Litmus test

The level of competition here is really high because the top club teams of Asia are here.

MARQUS Blakely is set to power Blackwater in the EASL Terrific 12.

MACAU — Three Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) teams test the mettle of their continental counterparts as the third East Asia Super League (EASL) Terrific 12 unwraps today at the Tap Seac Multi-sports Pavilion here.

Blackwater, which will try to erase the bitter memory of its last-place finish the last time the team was here, battles Korea’s Seoul SK Knights in the opening game at 3 p.m. while San Miguel Beers faces fellow newcomer Shenzhen Aviators of China in the third game at 7 p.m.

TNT KaTropa squares off with tournament favorite Liaoning Flying Leopards, which would be bannered by former National Basketball Association (NBA) veterans Lance Stephenson and Salah Mejri, to cap the opening quadruple-header at 9 p.m.

The Elite are banking on Alex Stepheson and Marqus Blakely, a last-minute replacement for injured Aaron Fuller, in their Group A campaign.

“The level of competition here is really high because the top club teams of Asia are here. It’s really a competitive league and you really need to prepare,” said Blackwater head coach Aries Dimaunahan.

“This will be a good exposure for us as we prepare for the Governors’ Cup. We’ll do our best to win the championship,” he added.

The Elite parade a new player in Carl Bryan Cruz, whom they got in a trade with Alaska for rookie Abu Tratter.

They are up against the two-time Korean Basketball League champion Knights, who will be beefed up by American imports Jameel Warney and Ex-Boise State standout Aaron Haynes.

Japan’s Chiba Jets is the third team in Group A.

The grand slam-seeking San Miguel is also using the tournament for the season-ending conference in the PBA and head coach Leo Austria thinks the Terrific 12 will be a perfect league to put them in great shape.

“It will be hard because this is our first time here. But we welcome the challenge,” said Austria, who is bringing in Lester Prosper and their Governors’ Cup import Dez Wells in this 12-club tournament.

The Beermen are meeting fellow league debutant Aviators, semifinalists in last season of Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and will be backstopped by former NBA forward Shabazz Muhammad and Shawn de Pierre.

Aside from San Miguel and Shenzhen Aviators, also in Group B are Ryukyu Golden Kings of Japan.

The KaTropa have the toughest assignment in Day 1 of the week-long competition as they will be up against Stepheson and Mejri, who suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks, respectively, in the last NBA season, in their Group D battle.

The 2017 CBA champions, like TNT, are also competing here for the first time.

The Bong Ravena-mentored KaTropa will be reinforced by ex-NBA guard KJ McDaniels and McKenzie Moore. Also in Group D is Japan’s Niigata Albirex BB.

China’s Zhejiang Guangsha Lions and Jeonju KCC Egis of Korea begin the Group C battle as they face off at 5 p.m. Japan’s Utsunomiya Brex is the third team in the bracket.

The top team per group will advance to the semifinal stage of the tournament.