After 8 games at the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, a dominant 6-2 start for the visiting team Hong Kong Eastern is now currently the #3 in the standings. But how are they doing it exactly?
Defense Wins Championships (?)
Although it’s still too early to tell that this contributing factor with how the Eastern is winning games would eventually indeed lead to a championship, it’s no denial that the defensive prowess done by the coaching staff led by Coach Mensur Bajramovic has earned them the second best least scored by opponents with an average of 93.0 per game. This highlights their victory over the top teams in the PBA which are Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel Beermen, Converge, and TNT.
More than anything, they have showcased in their last 8 games that they can compete and win in the PBA stage. Yes, they have been beaten by the #1 seed Northport Batangpier but it was a relatively close game from start to finish. Sure they are not like The Bay Area Dragons which were offensive juggernauts but they can still execute their offense properly and that begins with showcasing an exceptional brand of defense.
The Returnees: Blankley, Yang And Lam
Once again, playing in the second-oldest basketball league in the world and having the notion that they are still the team to beat must be the best feeling ever for any squad out there. That would be the case for the former Bay Area Dragon players Hayden Blankely, Kobey Lam, and Glenn Yang. Familiarity is a crucial factor especially if you’re the only guest team playing in the PBA and these 3 players have had an idea of what type of gameplay Filipino ball clubs have to offer.
After 8 games, Blankley is definitely their go-to guy for their locals as he is currently averaging 17 PPG. Next would be Glenn Yang, even though he missed 1 game he still averaged 16.4 PPG, and their sixth man on the bench Kobey Lam averaged 9.6 PPG. This trio holds the fort for the Eastern as they provide leadership and efficiency for their offense. Former Bay Area Dragons Coach Brian Goorijan definitely molded these players into a vital part of their current squads into winning games and hopefully a championship.
With finals experience under their belt, no doubt that this trio will be out there for revenge to reclaim their lost glory in 2025.
A Prolific Scorer From Clark Or A Dependable Center From Mclaughlin?
There is no doubt that Cameron Clark is a natural-born scorer for this squad. Standing at 6 foot 7, the once-upon-a-time San Miguel Beerman averaged 32.5 PPG in his 4 games with the Eastern. Aside from scoring, he knows how to defend and rebound the basketball. Surely he is the all-around guy for the invitational team of PBA. But after a back injury, he was immediately sidelined and the 6 foot 10 Canadian Chris McLaughlin stepped in. His presence definitely was felt underneath the paint as he provides the natural center position that Hong Kong Eastern is lacking. There aren’t a lot of 6’10 under their squad. Aside from Sheik Sulaiman, he really isn’t as good of a scorer as McLaughlin. After 4 games, Chris currently averages 13.7 points, not the same scoring output as Clark but his rebounding and defense under the basket are definitely his best assets as this is a lot more impressive than his scoring outbursts.
Now that both of these imports have played the same number of games, the Eastern coaching staff is now facing a problem with which reinforcement to keep. 4 games played for each import, surely this has already given enough sample size on which import they will keep for the remainder of the conference.
Bench Contributions: Cao, Guinchard And Cheung
With an average of 11 players through 8 games, coach Bajramovic is indeed trying to utilize his bench in order to get the proper combination. And his players aren’t breaking his trust as players like Ramon Cao, Steven Guinchard, and Cheung Yin Lung are producing respectable numbers as they play valuable minutes to rest their star players. Cao averages 8.6 PPG as he serves as the backup Center/Power Forward for the Eastern. The Small Forward Guinchard averages 5.8 PPG as he helps the team while Hayden Blankley sits on the bench. Lastly, Cheung is the other dependable guard for this Hong Kong squad as he averages 4.9 points from the bench and even in some instances, has the opportunity as the running mate of either Kobey Lam or Glenn Yang in the backcourt.
Eastern’s Final Push: Eyes on the Top Spot
The Hong Kong Eastern has definitely created a name for itself and outlived the comparisons that the public has made between them and their Bay Area counterpart. They have all the tools to win a championship: high-quality coaches and talented players. But to outlast the crowd favorites to win the Commissioner’s Cup, the journey surely won’t be easy.
The last four games of Eastern feature: Meralco Bolts, Terrafirm Dyip, Magnolia Hotshots, and NLEX Road Warriors. Both Meralco and Magnolia are currently struggling but they are still a lethal team as they have shown in the past that they can always reach the playoffs. While NLEX and Terrafirma may seem to be a “sure win”, you certainly don’t want to be overconfident as a lot can happen in a 48-minute ball game.
Can the Eastern reach the #1 seed at the end of eliminations? They certainly can. Can they survive the playoffs and ultimately win a championship? They have the opportunity to do so. Regardless of their fate, one thing is certain—they’ve given fans a new reason to watch the PBA.
proud of you my dude