PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF EASL RHENZ Abando (second from right) of the Anyang Jung Kwan Jang, Oh Jae-hyun of the Seoul SK Knights, and Joseph Lin of the Taipei Kings are determined to lead their respective teams to the EASL title. Also shown is EASL CEO Henry Kerins.
LAPU-LAPU CITY — Defending champion Anyang Jung Kwan Jang faces the possibility of not playing former Gilas Pilipinas standout Rhenz Abando for its East Asia Super League Final Four showdown against the Seoul SK Knights.
The 25-year-old Abando said he's unsure if he will be ready to suit up in the 5 p.m. encounter at the Hoops Dome on Friday, where the winner will advance to Sunday night's winner-take-all finals.
"Not sure," said the Filipino wingman when asked about his status during the final presser of the meet on Thursday at the Dusit Thani Hotel.
"But I will try my best to practice with the team."
The all-Korean clash is a repeat of last year's EASL Champions' Week finale where the Red Boosters defeated the Knights for the title.
The other semifinals pairing will feature undefeated top seed Chiba Jets of the Japan B. League against no. 4 New Taipei Kings led by Jeremy Lin from the P. League+ at 8 p.m.
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EASL chief executive officer Henry Kerins welcomed the entire EASL delegation in the first ever Final Four tournament in the league's Home and Away season where the champion team will receive $1 million.
Abando, the former National Collegiate Athletic Association Rookie-Most Valuable Player from Letran College, aggravated his back injury when he played his first game back for the Red Boosters last Sunday against Goyang Sono in a 92-87 win in the Korean Basketball League.
He admitted hurting his back again following another fall.
"That's what I'm feeling right now — my back is hurting again," said Abando, who arrived with the entire Anyang Jung Kwan Jang side in the Queen City of the South late Wednesday night.
Abando suffered multiple back injuries last December following a bad fall in a game ironically, also against Goyang Sono.
But the Red Boosters remain a very dangerous team in the event Abando won't play.
"Not only in the EASL, but the Red Boosters also played truly in the championship Game 7," said Oh Jae-hyun through an interpreter, referring to the KBL title series where SK Knights also lost to Anyang in overtime, 100-97.
"They're a better team down there."
Meanwhile, the Taipei Kings are up to the challenge of pulling an upset and inflicting the Jets their first loss in the five-month long meet.
"They're (Jets) 6-0, undefeated, and they're a very, very good team," said Joseph Lin, younger brother of former NBA player Jeremy Lin.
"I think to beat them, it should start with no. 2 (guard Yuki Togashi). We have to do our best to contain him, and just play our brand of basketball and play extremely hard."
The Jets arrived in the Queen City of the South late Thursday afternoon.
