January was a milestone month for EASL, beginning with the league’s first-ever game in Mainland China and ending with the first team qualifying for the EASL Finals in the 2025–26 season. All B.LEAGUE teams went unbeaten in their lone games of the month, while two Ryukyu Golden Kings players became the first B.LEAGUE players to reach 200 career EASL points.

With another action-packed month complete and the playoff race narrowing from six teams to five, here’s a look back at the opening month of 2026 before attention turns to the final full month of the 2025–26 regular season.

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Jameel Warney 

Jameel Warney has been named EASL January Player of the Month, earning the honor for a second consecutive month and becoming the first player in league history to win back-to-back Player of the Month awards.

Despite opening the New Year with a surprising overtime loss in Hong Kong, Warney and the Seoul SK Knights responded in emphatic fashion, securing a home victory over the Taipei Fubon Braves on January 28. The win completed a season sweep of Taipei Fubon and made Seoul SK the first team to clinch a spot in the EASL Finals.

Warney averaged 26.5 points, 10 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in January, highlighted by a dominant 24-point, 15-rebound performance in the decisive win over Taipei Fubon. Already the all-time leading scorer in EASL history, Warney delivered another standout month and continues to anchor a Seoul SK side with its sights set firmly on a deep postseason run.

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TEAM OF THE MONTH: 

G: Kai Toews — Alvark Tokyo (B.LEAGUE)

G: Arvin Tolentino — Seoul SK Knights (KBL)
F: Dominic Gilbert — Hong Kong Eastern
F: Jameel Warney — Seoul SK Knights (KBL)

C: Alec Brown — Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (P. LEAGUE+) 

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January’s Team of the Month recognizes the Seoul SK Knights, who became the first team to qualify for the EASL Finals, and marks the second Team of the Month this season to feature two players from the same team, as Arvin Tolentino joins Jameel Warney.

Tolentino totaled 32 points across two games in January, scoring 16 points in each outing, and delivered a clutch performance in Seoul SK’s decisive win over the Taipei Fubon Braves that secured their EASL Finals berth. He played a key role late in the game as SK pulled away from their Group A rivals, outscoring Taipei Fubon 22-12 in the fourth quarter.

Joining Tolentino in the backcourt is Alvark Tokyo’s Kai Toews. The recent Emperor’s Cup champion earned EASL Player of the Game honors in Tokyo’s 88–81 victory over the Changwon LG Sakers, pouring in 19 points on five made three-pointers.

Dominic Gilbert earns his debut selection to the EASL Team of the Month after a standout 27-point, 12-rebound performance in Hong Kong Eastern’s 96–83 upset win over the Seoul SK Knights on January 7. He followed that effort with a solid 16-point outing in a road loss to the Utsunomiya Brex on January 21, and has continued to be a key local contributor throughout Hong Kong’s second consecutive EASL campaign.

Rounding out the frontcourt alongside Warney is Alec Brown, who earns his first Team of the Month selection of the 2025-26 season after erupting for 35 points in Taoyuan’s 95–83 win over the Macau Black Bears to open the New Year in Quanzhou, Fujian, China. Brown’s performance marked the highest single-game scoring output by a Taoyuan player in EASL history.

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POWER RANKINGS:

Seoul SK Knights (4-2) 

Taoyuan Pauian Pilots (4-1)

Alvark Tokyo (3-1)

Ryukyu Golden Kings (3-1)

Meralco Bolts (3-2)

New Taipei Kings (3-2)

Utsunomiya Brex (2-2)

Xac Broncos (3-2)

Taipei Fubon Braves (2-3)

Hong Kong Eastern (2-3)

Changwon LG Sakers (1-5)

Macau Black Bears (0-6)

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Quick Breakdown 

Seoul SK’s EASL Finals clinching win on January 28 saw them leapfrog the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, the former No. 1 team, to take the top spot in January’s Power Rankings. B.LEAGUE side Alvark Tokyo, now on a three-game winning streak, rounds out the top three after a convincing win over the KBL’s reigning champions, the Changwon LG Sakers.

The Ryukyu Golden Kings follow Alvark, also winning a third straight with a resounding 102-79 victory over the Macau Black Bears. The Meralco Bolts and New Taipei Kings both hold steady at fifth and sixth despite not playing in January, but must-win games in February will decide their postseason fate

Utsunomiya climbed back to .500 at 2–2 with a wire-to-wire win over Hong Kong Eastern and moved ahead of the Xac Broncos, who did not play in January but ended December at 0-2. Taipei Fubon and Hong Kong Eastern both closed the month with losses and sit at 2-3, dropping to ninth and 10th in the rankings.

Rounding out the standings, the already eliminated Changwon LG Sakers and Macau Black Bears finish 11th and 12th. They remain the only two teams to have completed their EASL schedules.