Pilots draw lessons from beating PH squads
Filipino basketball fans may find themselves rooting against a familiar tormentor in the East Asia Super League (EASL) Finals.
The Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, who have repeatedly beaten Philippine teams in the tournament, face the Utsunomiya Brex in the title match, with many Filipinos expected to favor the Japanese side.
Taoyuan coach Iurgi Caminos acknowledged his team’s history against Filipino squads, including derailing Meralco’s playoff bid in the group stage and eliminating Arvin Tolentino and the Seoul SK Knights in the semifinals.
Those victories, Caminos said, have helped shape the Pilots’ run to a second straight Finals appearance.
“Playing directly against them is like nothing and everything at the same time,” Caminos told the Inquirer after their semifinal win over Alvark Tokyo on Saturday night.
“In terms of preparation, it’s different from how we approach teams from Japan. But in terms of learning and adapting to different styles, playing against them really helps.”
Taoyuan fell short in last year’s Finals against the Hiroshima Dragonflies, but Caminos said the experience—including matchups with Philippine teams—has been valuable.
“Last year, we played San Miguel. This year, we played Meralco. These experiences are always really helpful,” he said. “They help in every aspect when playing teams from different countries.”
Armed with those lessons, the Pilots will again chase the title when they meet the Brex at the Studio City Event Center.
