MANILA, Philippines – On the first night of the 2022–23 East Asia Super League, the newly crowned PBA Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beermen and the runner-up TNT Tropang Giga would be put to the test. 

The Tropang Giga and immigrant Cameron Oliver will have their hands full against the Bay Area Dragons in Manila, while the Beermen and import Thomas Robinson will face off against Anyang KGC in Seoul, South Korea. 

Rhenz Abando, a Filipino recruit who was the NCAA Rookie-MVP last season with the defending champion Letran Knights, will play for Anyang KGC, who finished second in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) last year.

The all-Filipino finals series between The Beermen and Tropang Giga, which went all the way, is just over. San Miguel won in the pivotal Game 7. 

In Group A with Ryukyu Golden Kings and Taipei Fubon Braves, San Miguel is paired with Anyang KGC.

Utsonomiya Brex and Seoul SK Knights are in Group B alongside TNT and Bay Area Dragons. 

Kim Sun Hyung of the Seoul SK Knights said, “We welcome San Miguel and TNT. We know how good these teams are from EASL’s previous event, and we can’t wait to match up with them again and travel to Manila.” 

Oddly, Ryukyu Golden Kings have acquired Jay Washington, a former player for San Miguel, for their upcoming season in the Japan B League. 

Washington, 40, played for the Beermen for five seasons during which time he earned two championships and two Best Player of the Conference awards. 

On November 2, the Kings and Beermen will have their first encounter.

The 6-foot-7 forward also spent time with the Tropang Giga, where he won two championships, the most recent one in the 2021 Philippine Cup.

Last 8 games:

August 17, 2022 – Win against Meralco 100 – 89 Semi Final

August 21, 2022 – Lose against TNT Katropa 86 – 84 Final

August 24, 2022 – Win against TNT Katropa 109 – 100 Final

August 26, 2022 – Win OT against TNT Katropa 108 – 100 Final

August 28, 2022 – Lose against TNT Katropa 100 – 87 Final

August 31, 2022 – Lose against TNT Katropa 102 – 93 Final

September 2, 2022 – Win against TNT Katropa 114 – 96 Final

September 4, 2022 – Win against TNT Katropa 119 – 97 Final

Standing:

	GP	W	L	Pts +	Pts –	Diff
San Miguel Beermen	11	9	2	1119	1042	77
TNT Katropa	11	8	3	1021	963	58

San Miguel Beermen

In the Philippine Basketball Association, there is a professional basketball team called the San Miguel Beermen. Along with the Magnolia Hotshots and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, it is one of three PBA teams that are owned by the San Miguel Corporation group of enterprises.

Owner: Ramon Ang

Ownership: Ramon S. Ang

Head coach: Leo Austria

Founded: 1975

Team manager: Gee Abanilla; Daniel Henares (assistant)

Company: San Miguel Brewery

TNT Tropang Giga

Also known as Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters – Since 1990, Smart Communications, a division of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, has been the owner of the TNT Tropang Giga, a professional basketball club competing in the Philippine Basketball Association. When Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. purchased a PBA franchise, the franchise officially started in 1990.

Head coach: Chot Reyes

Founded: 1990

Team manager: Jojo Lastimosa; Miguel Fernandez (assistant)

Company: Smart Communications