What Happened 

The Taipei Fubon Braves started their EASL Season 4 campaign on a high note, winning over the debuting Macau Hou Chon 103-89 inside the SM Seaside Cebu Arena in Cebu City.

The Braves led from wire to wire, opening up a seven-point lead at the end of the first period and doubling their advantage at the half, 54-38. 

Despite trailing by as many as 28 points, Hou Chon made a valiant comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, bringing down the deficit to 12 behind Phoenix Shackelford and Damian Chonqui. But timely baskets from Marko Todorovic in the paint and Hung Kai-Chieh would keep Hou Chon at bay, as the Braves seized control and picked up the hard-fought win. 

The Braves were led by a scintillating 1-2 punch from the perimeter and in the paint. Team Captain Chou Kuei-Yu knocked down 3 of 7 triples on his way to 27 points, while Mark Todorovic controlled the paint with a double-double of 30 points and 17 rebounds.

Hou Chon was led by Shackelford, who tallied 23 points along with 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals.

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What It Means 

The Braves were the first squad to notch a win in the EASL standings, staking their claim that they would be a force to reckon with once again this season. 

For Macau Hou Chon, there was still a lot of positives to take away despite the loss, however they will need to double up efforts and find a way to limit future opponents from dominating in the paint. Help should be on the way soon, as they look to have big man Princepal Singh available in their lineup for the next game. 

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Player of the Game:

Chou Kuei-Yu was a sparkplug for the braves, as his 27 points led all locals. He was the difference maker for the Braves, waxing hot from the field shooting 11 of 16 from the field, and 3 of 7 from the perimeter.

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Super Statistic: 5 assists

Though Macau Hau Chon couldn’t steal the victory, Damian Chongqui still made EASL history. With his five assists, he became the all-time assist leader in the league, eclipsing the Golden King’s Ryuichi Kashimoto. He also became the first player to hit the 100 assist plateau, a testament to his elite playmaking skills.

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Next Up 

Macau Hau Chon will look to recover from the loss in the comforts of their own home, as they host the debuting Nagasaki Velca in Tap-Seac Multi-Sports Pavilion, Macau SAR on October 28, 2026.

Taipei Fubon Braves on the other hand will look to grab back-to-back wins on the road, as they visit Busan KCC Egis inside the Busan Sajik Gymnasium on November 11, 2026 in the resumption of Group B action in the EASL.

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