The Taoyuan Pauian Pilots delivered the East Asia Super League’s (EASL) largest ever comeback on Sunday night, overturning a 26-point deficit to defeat the Macau Black Bears 104-86 and remain top of Group B.
Macau looked firmly in control early, opening the game with 40 points in the first quarter and carrying a 65-45 lead into halftime. Local forward Lao Chon Pong knocked down four three-pointers before the break, while Damian Chong Qui reached the 200-point milestone for his EASL career, on his way to a team-high 25 points.
[See more: ‘I want to show that a kid from Macao can work,’ says Macau Black Bears’ youngest star Leo Lei]
The Black Bears’ lead peaked at 51-25 with 5:56 remaining in the first half, a margin that would later stand as the largest ever erased since the league’s launch.
A comeback that rewrote the record books
Momentum shifted sharply after the interval. Taoyuan tightened defensively and dictated the pace, holding Macau to just 21 points across the third and fourth quarters. The Pilots scored 29 points in the third quarter alone, rapidly cutting into the deficit and seizing control.
Although Macau hit nine three-pointers in the first half – the same number Taoyuan finished with for the entire game – the Pilots’ edge in ball movement and rebounding proved decisive. Taoyuan finished with 28 assists and out-rebounded Macau 48-35, repeatedly generating second-chance opportunities as the Black Bears’ offence stalled.
Alec Brown led all scorers with 27 points and nine rebounds, reaching 200 career EASL points in the process. Lu Chun-Hsiang added 26 points and was named Player of the Game after helping keep Taoyuan within reach before the comeback gathered pace.
Centre Amdy Dieng contributed 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while Owen Chen provided a spark off the bench with 12 points as Taoyuan placed four players in double figures. William Artino also surpassed 100 career rebounds in EASL play.
[See more: Who are the Macau Black Bears? What to know about the city’s star team]
For Macau, Chong Qui joined the 200-point club, while 7-foot-6 centre Sam Deguara reached 100 career rebounds. The loss drops the Black Bears to 0-3 in Group B, and the EASL’s largest comeback leaves them with little margin for error after finishing 3-3 in their debut season last year.
Taoyuan improved to 3-1 and remains atop the group, matching its win total from last season with one game still to play. The teams meet again on 4 January in Fujian, China, while Macau Black Bears face Japan’s Ryukyu Golden Kings in Okinawa on 17 December in a game that could prove decisive for their playoff hopes.
