What: EASL Tip Off 2025 Tokyo 

Where: KEIO ARENA TOKYO 

When: Wednesday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m. JST 

Team Records: Alvark Tokyo (0-0) / Xac Broncos (0-0)

Where to Watch: Ticket Information / Broadcast Information 

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PROJECTED STARTERS 

Alvark Tokyo:

PG: Hiromu Nakamura — 177cm / 76kg

SG: Zack Baranski — 193cm / 93kg 

SF: Taiki Osakabe — 187cm / 88kg
PF: Marcus Foster — 191cm / 93 kg
C: Sebastian Saiz — 205cm / 106kg 

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Xac Broncos: 

PG: Barsbold Baatar-Erdene — 183cm / 79kg 

SG: Ian Miller — 187cm / 90kg

SF: Ikhbayar Chuluunbaatar — 190cm / 80kg
PF: Azbayar Altengerel — 204cm / 90kg
C: Efe Odigie — 203 cm / 111 kg

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THE RUNDOWN 

Mongolian champions Xac Broncos take on the B.LEAGUE’s Alvark Tokyo at East Asia Super League Tip Off 2025 on Wednesday, October 8. The game will be historic as it marks the league’s first-ever game in Japan’s capital, Alvark’s debut in EASL, and the Broncos’ debut as the first Mongolian team ever to compete in the league. 

Both teams are placed in the newly expanded Group C, after the league increased from two groups to three, accommodating its growth from 10 to 12 teams. 

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ALVARK 

Alvark Tokyo is one of Japan’s elite basketball teams. Though it has been a while since they last won a B.LEAGUE championship, Alvark still has two domestic titles to its name, winning in consecutive seasons in 2017 and 2018.

In their opening EASL game, the biggest challenge for Alvark could be injuries. New signing and highly anticipated center Brandon Davies will not be available, while Ryan Rossiter — a B.LEAGUE Second Team honoree last season — is also out. Japan national team point guard Kai Toews could be questionable as well, after missing Alvark’s first pair of B.LEAGUE games against the Utsunomiya Brex on Oct. 3 and 4.

Where Alvark’s confidence lies is with Sebastian Saiz, a 205cm center import from Spain. One of the few bright spots in Alvark’s 81–56 opening day loss to the Brex, Saiz was featured heavily in pick-and-roll action and showed the ability to step out and knock down perimeter jumpers. Two more players to watch are newcomer shooting guard Marcus Foster and veteran guard Shuto Ando. 

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THE BRONCOS 

The Xac Broncos were relatively unknown… until this summer. After winning their ninth Mongolian league championship, and second straight, the Broncos not only qualified as EASL’s first-ever Mongolian team but also went on to win FIBA’s Basketball Champions League (BCL) Asia East before advancing to BCL Asia and finishing third.

The Broncos’ main man is Ian Miller, who caught fire toward the end of last season. He earned Mongolia’s Finals MVP during the Broncos’ title run, then added BCL Asia East MVP honors and a spot on the Best 5 in BCL Asia.

Beyond Miller, the Broncos feature an exciting local duo in forward Azbayar Altangerel and guard Barsbold Baatar-Erdene. Altangerel is a versatile, athletic forward who can stretch the floor, while the 21-year-old Baatar-Erdene is a crafty guard with a smooth finishing touch.

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SPOTLIGHT STORYLINE: 

• HOMECOMING — The Broncos’ trip to Tokyo marks a homecoming for their newest signing, Asian import point guard Igari Wataru. Having signed less than two weeks ago, Wataru becomes just the second Japanese player ever to compete in Mongolia’s top basketball league. Though his hometown is Fukushima — nearly three hours from the capital — a return to Japan is still home.