Alvark Tokyo is a Japanese professional basketball team located in Tokyo . The team, which is sponsored by Toyota , currently plays in the Japanese B.League . Until 2000, the team was known as the Toyota Pacers. Founded as Toyota Pacers in 1948, the club won two consecutive JBL Super League league titles in 2006 and 2007.
37-590: In July 2015, it was announced that the team would compete in the first division of the new Japan Professional Basketball League , which commenced from October 2016. As of 2020, the team has been the reigning back-to-back champion of the B.League , Japan's top basketball league. Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA -sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed. Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA -sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed. To appear in this section
74-790: A Final Four event. P. League+ (Taiwan), the Philippine Basketball Association , the Korean Basketball League ( South Korea ), and the B.League ( Japan ) committed to send teams for the EASL. The Bay Area Dragons , a franchise team meant to represent " Greater China " was also formed by the EASL. The EASL received high profile financial support. The Raine Group along with former NBA stars such as Metta Sandiford-Artest , Baron Davis and Shane Battier in December 2021 reportedly invested in
111-828: A foreign player for the purpose of these rules. In January 2024, the Australian National Basketball League announced a partnership with the B.League which will see future collaboration on pre-season game crossovers and potential exploration of the viability of a team from Japan participating in the Australian NBL. East Asia Super League The East Asia Super League ( EASL ) is an international basketball league featuring clubs from Japan , South Korea , Philippines , Chinese Taipei , Hong Kong SAR , and Macau SAR . From 2017 to 2019, four pre-season tournaments (the Super 8 and
148-661: A player must have either: They have their own gymnasium, Toyota Motors Fuchu Sports Center in Kitayamacho, Fuchu, Tokyo . Japan Professional Basketball League The B.League is a professional men's basketball league in Japan that began play in September 2016. The league is operated by the Japan Professional Basketball League and was formed as a result of a merger between
185-1075: A win against the New Taipei Kings . In the Championship Game, the Chiba Jets defeated Seoul SK Knights in a tightly-contested game, beating the Korean side 72-69, becoming the first champion in EASL history. Japan National Basketball Team captain, Yuki Togashi was named 2024 EASL Final Four Most Valuable Player. 2024-25 EASL Season: Second Season The 2024 B.LEAGUE champions Hiroshima Dragonflies and runners-up Ryukyu Golden Kings represented Japan. The 2024 KBL champions, Busan KCC Egis and runners-up, Suwon KT Sonicboom represented South Korea. The 2024 P. LEAGUE+ champions New Taipei Kings and runners-up Taoyuan Pauian Pilots represented Chinese Taipei. The 2024 PBA Philippine Cup champions Meralco Bolts and 2024 PBA Commissioner's Cup champions San Miguel Beermen represented
222-403: Is identical to the first division: Eight teams qualify for the playoffs, which includes the top three teams from each conference, and the next two teams with the best records, regardless of their conference, as wild cards. The playoffs consist of quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds, with a best-of-three format in each round. Each round is played at the home court of the team that finished with
259-443: Is played at the team's home court, which finished with the higher winning percentage during the season. In the second division, the regular season will also consist of a 60-game schedule, but with 42 games against teams within their own conference (6 games against each team) and 18 games against teams in the other conference (2 games against seven teams and 4 games against the remaining team). The playoff qualification and match format
296-578: Is to be able to organized basketball tournaments featuring club sides from top Asian leagues with the organizers naming the CBA (China), B.League (Japan), KBL (South Korea), PBA (Philippines), SBL (Taiwan), and the ABL (Southeast Asia, China, and Taiwan). The first tournament by EASL, then called the Asia League, was the Super 8: Macau Basketball Invitational, involving eight teams in September 2017 at
333-460: The 2022–23 season , the first division (B1) has 24 teams and the second division (B2) has 14 teams, with a system of promotion and relegation between these two divisions. Each of the first two divisions is further divided into two conferences, East and West. In the first division, each team plays a 60-game regular-season schedule that consists of 36 games against teams within their conference (4 games against each team) and 24 games against teams in
370-534: The 2023-24 season . The Philippines' PBA was represented by 2023 PBA Commissioner's Cup champions, TNT Tropang Giga and semifinalists, Meralco Bolts . The 2023 B.LEAGUE runner-up Chiba Jets went undefeated in the Group Stage, winning the Group A while 2023 KBL champions, Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters came in second in Group A with a 4-2 record. In Group B, 2023 KBL runners-up, Seoul SK Knights won
407-511: The COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions lifted in regions surrounding the partnering leagues, EASL was able start their inaugural season in October 2023. The champions and runner-up of Japan's B.LEAGUE ( Ryukyu Golden Kings and Chiba Jets ), South Korea's KBL ( Anyang KGC and Seoul SK Knights ), Chinese Taipei's P. LEAGUE+ ( Taipei Fubon Braves and New Taipei Kings ) got a berth for
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#1732798265839444-487: The COVID-19 pandemic . In August 2020, EASL and FIBA entered into a multi-year agreement granting EASL FIBA's recognition to hold a full-fledged in-season league featuring clubs from Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan (representing " Greater China "). The inaugural season would feature 8 teams. It was planned that they would play home-and-away games against each other with the top four teams advancing to
481-749: The Guangzhou Loong Lions , Xinjiang Flying Tigers , Seoul Samsung Thunders, Incheon Electroland Elephants , NLEX Road Warriors, Blackwater Elite, Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka , and Formosa Dreamers . The Guangzhou Loong Lions won first place, while the Seoul Samsung Thunders took second place and the Incheon Electroland Elephants placed third. In 2018, the Super 8 tournament was expanded into a larger tournament format called The Terrific 12, featuring 12 teams instead of eight. The Terrific 12 (2018) tournament
518-613: The National Basketball League that was operated by the FIBA -affiliated Japan Basketball Association and the independently operated bj league . The merger had been mandated by FIBA as a condition to Japan having its membership resumed following suspension in November 2014. The Japan Basketball Association was formed in 1930 and has operated Japan's top basketball leagues under various names since 1967. Throughout
555-612: The Studio City Event Centre in Macau. The competing teams in attendance were the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions , Shenzhen Aviators (formerly Shenzhen Leopards), Goyang Orions , Seoul Samsung Thunders , Fubon Braves , Pauian Archiland , Chiba Jets , and Ryukyu Golden Kings . Organizers initially dubbed the tournament as the "Asia League," but this led to a legal dispute with FIBA over the name of
592-424: The 2016–17 season was also published. Beginning in the 2020–21 season, the B.League was reformatted to only have two conferences each, East and West, in the first and second divisions. However, the first division reverted to a three-conference system, East, Central, and West, beginning in the 2022–23 season. Numbers in brackets denote the team's seed in its conference from the regular season. Each club in
629-718: The EASL debut of former NBA player and CBA import Lance Stephenson , who earned MVP awards for his 34-point outburst in the Terrific 12 (2019) championship finals, a close 83–82 finish for the Liaoning Flying Leopards over the Seoul SK Knights. The Zhejiang Guangsha Lions won second place and the San Miguel Beermen took home third in the event. Plans for a 2020 iteration of The Terrific 12 tournament on September have been cancelled due to
666-437: The EASL. The launch of the EASL would be hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic , with plans to hold its inaugural home-and-away tournament in 2022 cancelled. In place of the cancelled 2022 home-and-away tournament, the 2023 EASL Champions Week would be organized. It was originally meant as a pre-season tournament for the 2023–24 season . Anyang KGC were the first champions. 2023-24 EASL Season: Inaugural Season With
703-872: The Guangzhou Loong Lions placed second and the Seoul Samsung Thunders took third place. In 2019, Asia League rebranded to the "East Asia Super League," and it hosted the second iteration of The Terrific 12 at the Tap Seac Multi-Sports Pavilion in Macau from September 17–22. The competing teams were the Liaoning Flying Leopards , Shenzhen Aviators, Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, Chiba Jets, Niigata Albirex BB , Ryukyu Golden Kings, Utsonomiya BREX , Jeonju KCC Egis , Seoul SK Knights , Blackwater Elite, TNT KaTropa and San Miguel Beermen . Terrific 12 (2019) also featured
740-612: The JBA. The merger of the two competing leagues into the B.League was announced in June 2015 and the international suspension was lifted by FIBA in August. Telecommunications company Softbank were named as the league's top sponsor for the inaugural season in March 2016. The 2016–17 season commenced with an inaugural match between four-time JBL/NBL champions Alvark Tokyo , who finished on top of
777-556: The NBL ladder in 2015–16, and four-time bj-league champions Ryukyu Golden Kings , who won the 2015–16 bj-league championship, at Yoyogi National Gymnasium on 22 September 2016. A full round of games involving all other teams commenced on September 24. Since the 2021–22 season, the winners and runners-up of each season qualify for the East Asia Super League . The league consists of two divisions, named B1 and B2. For
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#1732798265839814-569: The Philippines. For the expansion teams, representing Hong Kong SAR was Hong Kong Eastern , while the Macau Black Bears represented Macau SAR. The East Asia Super League starting from the 2023 EASL Champions Week is represented by teams from selected domestic leagues. From 2021 to 2023, the EASL maintained its own franchise team independent from any other domestic leagues, the Bay Area Dragons . The league considers
851-401: The Terrific 12) were organized by EASL, featuring clubs from selected professional basketball leagues in the region. With official backing from FIBA Asia , EASL has made a transition towards a full-fledged league. The first such season is to be held in 2023 and feature eight teams. The East Asia Super League was co-founded by Matt Beyer and Henry Kerins as the Asia League as a response to what
888-644: The ban on professional players. Despite this, the structure of the Japan Super League remained amateur in nature, with most teams remaining under the control of a corporate sponsor/owner. In 2005 a rival bj league was launched in competition with the Super League, based on an American franchise system of professional teams. In response, the JBA re-launched the Super League as the Japan Basketball League (JBL) in 2007, but there
925-595: The first and second divisions will be allowed up to three registered foreign players, excluding one foreign-born player who has become a naturalized Japanese citizen. Two foreign players will be allowed on the court. Naturalized players can play as Japanese citizens and have no limitations. Each club will be allowed one naturalized player. In line with Japan Basketball Association regulations, foreign citizens who were either born or raised in Japan and graduated from Japanese elementary and junior high school will not be treated as
962-695: The first division. Other promotions and relegations will not take place. In the 2014–15 season, there were 12 teams in the NBL, 10 teams in the National Basketball Development League (NBDL, the NBL's second division league) and 24 teams in the bj-league . All 46 teams sought entrance to the B.League's inaugural 2016–17 season, along with the Wakayama Trians , who withdrew from the NBL in January 2015 due to financial difficulty. Ultimately, all clubs were accepted into
999-553: The founders deem as a lack of high-level international tournaments featuring basketball clubs in the region also taking into account the population in the region, about 2 billion, which could be a potential market for a regional inter-club tournament. The Asia League was envisioned to be East Asian counterpart of the NBA's Las Vegas Summer League where professional teams from Asia could compete against each other with minimal conflict with their mother league's schedules. Their stated mission
1036-584: The group, while P. LEAGUE+ runners-up, New Taipei Kings , came in second. The four teams would advance to the 2024 EASL Final Four in a three-day playoffs held in Hoops Dome, Cebu, Philippines. In the first game of the 2024 EASL Final, the Seoul SK Knights defeated Korean-counterpart Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters in a tightly contest battle, advancing to the 2024 EASL Final Four Championship Game. The Chiba Jets stayed undefeated following
1073-421: The higher winning percentage during the season. The B.League typically holds promotion-relegation playoffs each year to determine which second division teams will be promoted to the first division and which first division teams will be relegated to the second division for the following season. For the 2020–21 season, it was announced that the top two teams from the second division will be automatically promoted to
1110-431: The history of the association, teams have been affiliated with large corporations and players have been employed by their respective owner company rather than competing as professional basketball players. In the early 1990s soccer in Japan moved away from a similar corporate structure and launched the J.League in 1993. The JBA commenced investigating the professionalization of basketball in the same year, and in 1997 lifted
1147-581: The league except for the Trians and the Hiroshima Lightning , who were in their first season as a bj-league expansion club. The allocation of the 45 teams into three divisions was announced in two phases in July and August 2015. In April 2016 the league announced rules regarding official team names, shortened names and abbreviations to be used by the clubs. A list of names to be used by each club in
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1184-538: The league when FIBA deemed the tournament's branding and marketing to be in conflict with its own FIBA Asia Champions Cup . The dispute led to the renaming of the competition to "Super 8," and the tournament was then officially recognized by FIBA after the league organizers sought legal assistance of Quinn Emanuel's Thomas Werlen, who has represented FIFA in investigations of the United States Department of Justice . The inaugural Super 8 tournament
1221-403: The other conference (2 games against eight teams and 4 games against the remaining two teams). Eight teams qualify for the playoffs, including the top three teams from each conference, and the next two teams with the best records, regardless of their conference, as wild cards. The playoffs consist of the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds, with a best-of-three format in each round. Each round
1258-403: The sport within the country. After the JBA failed to comply with deadlines to commence reorganizing the domestic leagues, FIBA suspended Japan from international competitions in November 2014. A task force to investigate the reformation of the domestic leagues was formed and Saburō Kawabuchi was appointed co-chairman. In May 2015, upon FIBA's recommendation, Kawabuchi was appointed as president of
1295-675: Was organized in collaboration with and supported by the Sports Bureau of Macau SAR government and hosted at the Studio City Event Centre. The competing teams were the Shandong Heroes (formerly Shandong Golden Stars), Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, Xinjiang Flying Tigers, Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus , Seoul Samsung Thunders, Fubon Braves, Yulon Luxgen Dinos , Nagoya Diamond Dolphins , Ryukyu Golden Kings and Chiba Jets. The Ryukyu Golden Kings won first place, while
1332-514: Was still a mixture of professional and corporate teams in the competition. The JBL was again rebranded as the National Basketball League in 2013. Since the establishment of the bj league in 2005, both competitions rapidly expanded the number of teams, with 45 teams participating between the two competitions in 2015. FIBA , the international governing body for basketball, grew concerned with the division and disorganization of
1369-942: Was won by the Chiba Jets of the Japanese B. League , with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions placing second and the Goyang Orions taking third place. The event garnered 21 million views worldwide. A second edition of the tournament, dubbed the Summer Super 8, followed in July 2018 at the Macau East Asian Games Dome , and featured the introduction of two professional club teams from the PBA, the NLEX Road Warriors and Blackwater Elite . The eight competing teams in attendance were
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