Hong Kong Eastern to play in the PBA

By Robert Andaya

In an effort to make the games even more competitive, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is looking at bringing in  another foreign team for the  PBA Commissioner’s Cup in November.

PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas said negotiations to invite Hong Kong Eastern as guest team in the mid-season conference of the league’s 49th season is nearly complete.

“It’s almost done.I can say that 90 percent that we will Hong Kong Eastern as our  guest team in the Commissioner;s Cup ,” said Vargas during the media launch of  the Season 49 of Asia;s first play-for-pay league at the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel.

Vargas said negotiations on the entry of the Hong Kong-based team are being handled by PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial and PBA Vice Chairman Alfrancis Chua.

Vargas said he’s been told the Hong Kong Eastern is a highly-competitive team, like another Hong Kong’ based team, Bay Area Dragons.

“Wala pang binibigay na line-up, pero sabi baka nga stronger pa kaysa sa previous (guest) team natin,” added Vargas, obviously referring to the Bay Area Dragons, who finished runner-up behind Barangay Ginebra in the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup.

“So kailangan talaga maghanda din ang mga teams natin to be able to compete,” he added. 

Hong Kong Eastern previously saw action in the ASEAN Basketball League where it had Christian Standhardinger as among its leading players.

The same Hong Kong team is also reportedly set to see action in the EASL home-and-away Season 2.