November 6, 2024 – Studio City Event Center, Macau SAR 

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On Wednesday, Nov. 6, the Macau Black Bears defeated the KBL’s Busan KCC Egis 111-97. Led by Damian Chong-Qui’s triple-double — the first-ever in East Asia Super League history — and Jeantal Cylla’s 34 points, Macau staved off KCC to bounce back from its loss against the B.LEAGUE’s Ryukyu Golden Kings on Oct. 30. 

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Newly signed import Deonte Burton scored a team-high 35 points for KCC while Leon Williams, who joined the reigning KBL champions two weeks ago, chipped in with 21 after playing all 40 minutes. However, the Egis couldn’t keep up with a high-octane Macau offense down the stretch and lost in their EASL season opener. 

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Post-Game Triple:

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‍God-Cylla 

Cylla’s 34 points on Wednesday night set a personal season-high, eclipsing his previous 32-point outing on Oct. 23 against Jeremy Lin and the New Taipei Kings.

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Whether Cylla was pitted in isolation scenarios or given the ball in transition, the crafty 6-foot-7 wing converted efficiently. He shot 46.4% from the field, went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line and also had four rebounds and two assists. 

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Despite being matched up with KCC’s star player Burton, Cylla was undeterred offensively. Utilizing a mix of baseline drives and hesitation pull-up jumpers, he relentlessly attacked the opposing defense. 

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When the Egis opted to enter a 2-3 zone look in the second half, Cylla adapted well to step out and hit a handful of catch-and-shoot 3’s. 

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Burton Impresses In Debut 

Although Burton and KCC didn’t leave Macau’s Studio City Event Center with a victory, the 6-foot-4 guard cemented himself as one of EASL’s premier players. 

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By halftime, Burton had scored 20 of his team's 56 points, mostly through aggressive downhill slashing. After beating his immediate defender, Burton never seemed afraid to meet them at the rim or execute a nifty spin move to free himself up for an uncontested layup. 

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In the second half, Macau tightened up its defensive scheme and centered its emphasis on limiting Burton. Occasionally having to deal with a double team and a crowded paint area, the KCC star was forced to cough up passes to teammates or take a slew of perimeter shots. 

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Burton finished with 35 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists, and will no doubt be looking forward to KCC’s rematch with Macau on Jan. 15, 2025.

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Macau’s Size Advantage

At 7-foot-6, Macau center Samuel Deguara is the tallest active player in basketball. Who was his matchup on Wednesday night? Busan KCC’s 6-foot-8 Leon Williams. 

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This height disparity, along with KCC having to find matchups for the Black Bears’ 6-foot-10 William Artino and 6-foot-7 Cylla resulted in a lopsided 54-43 rebounding differential and several second-chance opportunities for Macau. 

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Deguara tallied 12 points on 54.6% shooting from the floor while adding in 13 rebounds — nine of which were on the offensive glass. Artino, meanwhile, notched 12 boards to give the Black Bears a plethora of additional possessions. 

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Late in the second half, Macau grabbed four rebounds in a single possession, allowing guard Jamal Mayali to sink a right-corner 3, dashing KCC’s comeback hopes.

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EASL Player of the Game: Damian Chong-Qui — Macau Black Bears 

Chong-Qui entered EASL history books against Busan KCC, becoming the league’s first-ever player to chalk a triple-double. The 5-foot-8 point guard totaled 22 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in Macau’s commanding 111-97 victory. 

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Offensively, Chong-Qui’s scoring arrived in standard form — a series of pull-up jumpers off of pick-and-rolls or a sudden burst of speed to flip in a layup. When Macau’s floor general was stopped deep in the paint amongst KCC’s front court, he quickly fired passes to his shooters for open 3-pointers. 

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“I want to win,” Chong-Qui said when asked postgame about what worked for him. “Anything I need to do out there to win, that’s what I’m going to do. Today, it was rebounding, getting my guys involved and maintaining my aggressiveness throughout the game. (I’m) just trying to win.” 

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Stat of the Game: 111

Macau’s 111 points scored Wednesday evening was the most by an EASL team this season. Interestingly enough, the Black Bears broke their own record set earlier on Oct. 23 against the New Taipei Kings. 

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In a fast-paced, back-and-forth affair, Macau shot an efficient 50% from the floor and knocked down 12 3-pointers. Although it allowed yet another opponent to register 90-plus points, the Black Bears have shown EASL that they are more than capable of winning in shootouts. 

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Upcoming Games:

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Busan KCC Egis 

• Away vs. Meralco Bolts (PBA) — Nov. 13, 2024
• Away vs. Ryukyu Golden Kings (B.LEAGUE) — Dec. 4, 2024
• Home vs. Meralco Bolts (PBA) — Dec. 18, 2024
• Home vs. Macau Black Bears (Macau SAR) — Jan. 15, 2025
• Home vs. New Taipei Kings (P. LEAGUE+) — Jan. 21, 2025

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Macau Black Bears 

• Home vs. New Taipei Kings (P. LEAGUE+) – Dec. 11, 2024
• Away vs. Busan KCC Egis (KBL) – Jan. 15, 2025