‍Where: Studio City Event Center

When: Sunday, March 20, 15:00 / 15:10 P.M. (On-air / Tip-off) CST

Team Records: Alvark Tokyo (5-1, No. 1 in Group C) / Ryukyu Golden Kings (5-1, No. 1 in Group B)

Where to Watch: Ticket Information / Broadcast Information  

‍

TEAM STATISTIC LEADERS 

Alvark Tokyo 

Points: Sebastian Saiz — 23.8 

Rebounds: Sebastian Saiz — 7.7
Assists: Kai Toews — 5.0 

Steals: Marcus Foster, Sebastian Saiz — 0.7 

Blocks: Sebastian Saiz — 0.7 

‍‍Note: Stats do not include Ryan Rossiter, who was not included in Alvark’s gameday roster.

‍

Ryukyu Golden Kings

Points: Alex Kirk, Jack Cooley — 15.4
Rebounds: Jack Cooley — 12.0 

Assists: Ryuichi Kishimoto — 5.0 

Steals: Ryuichi Kishimoto — 1.6 

Blocks: Alex Kirk, Jack Cooley — 0.9

‍
‍

‍

THE RUNDOWN

Alvark Tokyo and the Ryukyu Golden Kings meet in an all-B.LEAGUE Battle for Third, two familiar rivals now competing on the international stage with a share of the prize purse on the line. Alvark fell to the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots 102-76 in the semifinals, while Ryukyu were edged out in a dramatic comeback by Utsunomiya 103-96.

The two sides know each other well. Early in the 2025-26 B.LEAGUE season, Ryukyu swept a back-to-back series against Alvark on October 11 and 12, winning 82-76 and 83-68. Both games followed a similar pattern — Ryuichi Kishimoto leading the scoring with support from Alex Kirk, while Sebastian Saiz filled up the stat sheet on the Alvark side but couldn't tip the balance. 

The rivalry runs deeper too. Ryukyu claimed its first-ever Emperor's Cup two seasons ago by defeating Alvark in the final, and looking ahead, the 2026-27 B.LEAGUE season opener is set to be another Ryukyu-Alvark matchup at Tokyo's newly constructed arena. This game is just another chapter.

Both teams finished as No. 1 seeds in their respective groups this EASL season and earned semifinal byes as a result. Neither got the result they wanted. Now they settle it against each other.

‍

‍

ALVARK

Alvark were caught off guard in that semifinal. They came out sharp, draining 13 three-pointers in the first half and building a lead as large as 15, before going cold and being outscored 52-22 in the second half. 

The most glaring issue was size. Without injured center Ryan Rossiter and with Brandon Davies absent from the roster, Alvark's biggest player on the floor was Sebastian Saiz at 205cm. The result was a 70-14 disadvantage in paint points against Taoyuan, with forward Marcus Foster and guard Kai Toews regularly being switched onto opposing bigs with little success.

Against Ryukyu, that problem doesn't go away. The Golden Kings feature Alex Kirk and Jack Cooley — two of the best frontcourt players in the league — and Cooley arrives just one rebound shy of becoming the first player in EASL history to reach 200, already the all-time leader on the boards. Containing that tandem will be Alvark's biggest challenge.

On the offensive end, the blueprint is there. Toews' pinpoint passing and Alvark's pin-down screen system created open looks throughout the first half against Taoyuan. The issue was sustaining it. If Alvark can keep that execution going for a full 40 minutes rather than 20, they are more than capable of winning this game.

‍

‍

THE GOLDEN KINGS

It is hard to believe that one of EASL's most decorated clubs is still searching for its first postseason win. Sunday is another chance to change that, and this time against a familiar domestic rival.

There were no glaring errors in Ryukyu's semifinal loss to Utsunomiya. By their own admission, it was a good, competitive game that the Brex won by hitting big shots late. The Golden Kings regrouped, and now they go again.

The size advantage that hurt Alvark against Taoyuan is relevant here too. Despite the semifinal loss, Ryukyu held their own in the paint and on the boards against Utsunomiya. Against a smaller Alvark side, that edge becomes even more pronounced. Ryukyu prefer a slower, more physical pace, and if they can control the tempo and grind Alvark down inside, the Golden Kings should be able to create the conditions that suit them.

One individual milestone worth watching is Ryuichi Kishimoto, who sits just 12 assists away from becoming the first player in EASL history to reach 100 career assists.