The Meralco Bolts are aiming to make the EASL playoffs for the first time ever, and they will need to buck both history and the odds to do so. That’s because the former PBA Philippine Cup champions haven’t made it past the group stages of this international meetup and are also facing a team they’ve beaten only once in five previous tries—the Ryukyu Golden Kings.
The Golden Kings aren’t just any team, either. They’re a Japan B.League powerhouse, having won the title in 2023 and consistently ranking among the league’s top squads. They’ve also beaten the Bolts four times in five tries, with their latest being an 81-72 decision at Okinawa Arena back in October 2025. The Golden Kings are also 4-1 in the EASL this season and are viewed as a serious championship contender.
Bolts in Same EASL Situation Last Season
Curiously, Meralco is facing nearly the same situation as last season: in need of a win to advance to the EASL playoffs. Unfortunately, the Bolts couldn’t rise to the occasion last year, falling in double overtime to the New Taipei Kings to miss the postseason bus for a second consecutive time.
This time, however, winning isn’t the only goal. Meralco needs to win by at least six points to make it to the next stage—and anything less would mean another early exit. The best-case scenario is a win by more than 20 points, as that could propel the Bolts to the top of Group B and the semifinals bye that comes with it.
Meralco Going All-Out
From the looks of things, Meralco is going all out to beat the Golden Kings, as it has tapped NLEX Road Warriors import Cady Lalanne to replace the injured Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. It has also retained bruising reinforcement Ismael Romero despite him being involved in an altercation with a Filipino player in a different league.
The Bolts will also be parading highly touted Fil-Am point guard Jason Brickman, the seventh overall pick of the 2025 PBA Draft, and the inimitable Justin Brownlee, whose big-game playmaking could prove invaluable in Meralco’s virtual do-or-die against the Golden Kings.
Meralco and Ryukyu face off once more on Wednesday, February 11, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.
