October 30, 2024 – Southorn Stadium, Hong Kong SAR

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The Hiroshima Dragonflies deny Hong Kong Eastern their first EASL victory after defeating the home side, 88-75.

Hong Kong came out firing, leading by as much as 13 in the first half. But a 13-point swing in the third quarter put Dragonflies on top after three, as they cruise to defeat Eastern in back-to-back games.

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Kerry Blackshear Jr. was once again the EASL Player of the Game after recording a double-double with a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds.

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Post-Game Triple:

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1. Third quarter collapse in Hong Kong

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Hong Kong Eastern played spectacularly in the first half, scoring 50% from the field while limiting Hiroshima to just 40% shooting. Eastern also forced 11 turnovers in the first half, jumping to a 7-point lead after two quarters, with their first win seemingly within their grasp at halftime.

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But the story flipped after the break. Eastern could not find their shooting stroke, going just 31% from the field in the third quarter while scoring 14 points the entire frame. Their defensive play also suffered, as the Dragonflies went on an 11-point scoring run early in the third.

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The Dragonflies came back from their 7-point deficit in just two-and-a-half minutes, shooting 9-of-15 (60%) from the field to outscore Eastern 27-14 in the third frame, carrying a 6-point lead going into the final stanza.

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Eastern never recovered, falling into a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter, losing to the Japanese side for the second consecutive game.

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2. Balanced scoring from Hiroshima

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The Dragonflies had 11 active players in this game, and 9 of them were able to get on the scoresheet against Eastern.

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Three players reached double-digits, as Kerry Blackshear Jr., Nick Mayo, and Ryo Yamazaki led the way for Hiroshima.

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Blackshear finished the game with a game-high 25 points, shooting 58% from the field.

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3. 3-pointer continues to be Eastern’s downfall

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After going 1-of-15 from 3-point range in Hiroshima two weeks ago, Hong Kong Eastern continues to struggle shooting from deep.

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The team combined to go 4-for-19 for 21% from 3-point land on Wednesday, with Cameron Clark, Kobey Lam, Ramon Cao and Glen Yang each getting one three each.

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In contrast, the Dragonflies combined to go 9-of-24 for 38% from deep against Eastern on Wednesday, with Ryo Yamazaki leading the way with 3 3’s.

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EASL Player of the Game: Kerry Blackshear Jr. - Hiroshima Dragonflies

Kerry Blackshear Jr. won his second consecutive EASL Player of the Game honors following an impressive double-double with 25 points and 10 boards.

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Blackshear, like the rest of his team struggled in the first half, as he was only able to put up 6 points after two quarters. But something clicked for him after halftime, scoring 12 points in the third quarter to nearly out-scoring the entire Eastern team in the frame.

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Blackshear was also a menace on the defensive end on Wednesday, recording 4 steals to end the day.

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Stat of the Game: 16%

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Following a dismal 2-for-13 game for 15% in his first game against Hiroshima, Eastern guard Kobey Lam followed up with a 2-for-11 game for 18% on Wednesday.

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Lam, who Hong Kong signed this offseason to help with their shooting, will need to find his shooting stroke back if Eastern is to find a victory with four games remaining.

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Lam’s next chance to right his ship will be against the San Miguel Beermen on Dec. 18, who most recently allowed Suwon KT Sonicboom star Heo Hoon to score 17 points on 53% shooting during the 2024 EASL Tip-Off.

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Quote of the Game: Kerry Blackshear Jr. on the comeback

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“We just had to be ourselves, lock in, be a little bit more aggressive on both ends of the ball, handle those 50-50 balls, those win games, and we were able to do them a lot better in the second half.”

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Next Games:

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Hong Kong Eastern: Home vs. San Miguel Beermen (PBA) - Dec. 18, 2024

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Hiroshima Dragonflies: Away vs. Suwon KT Sonicboom (KBL) - Dec. 4, 2024