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EASL: Hayden Blankley looks back on PBA experience ahead of rematch against Meralco

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Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="New Taipei Kings and former Bay Area Dragon star Hayden Blankley. Photo by EASL. " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/life/12/02/20240102-hayden-blankley.jpg"/><figcaption>New Taipei Kings and former Bay Area Dragon star Hayden Blankley. <em>Photo by EASL. </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Meralco Bolts are looking to avenge their previous EASL loss against the New Taipei Kings when they square off on Wednesday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig. </p><p>The Luigi Trillo-mentored squad, who previously faltered against the Seoul SK Knights, will be looking to keep their semi-finals hopes alive and bounce back from their 97-92 defeat against the Kings a month ago. </p><p>Meralco currently stands at 1-3, while Jeremy Lin and his squad tops Group B at 2-0.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/30/23/meralco-looks-to-protect-home-court-vs-lin-new-taipei-kings">EASL: Meralco looks to protect home court vs. Jeremy Lin, New Taipei Kings</a></li></ul><p>Lin, former Bay Area Dragons star Hayden Blankley, and the rest of New Taipei arrived in the country earlier today. </p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C1lZZFWvY_6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C1lZZFWvY_6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 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</div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C1lZZFWvY_6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by EASL🏀East Asia Super League (@eastasiasuperleague)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>“Just seeing all the people outside the airport, that was cool, and they’re so invested in basketball players ‘cause they love basketball here,” said Blankley in a post by the league, who scored 15 points in their previous victory. </p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1714519509039003" data-width="auto"> </div><p>The 23-year-old Australian also recalled his previous experience in the PBA and playing in a classic seven-game series against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the 2022 PBA Commissioner&#x27;s Cup.</p><p>“Definitely the Finals against Ginebra,” he said when asked about his most memorable experience in Manila. “I feel like that was an iconic series, and Game 7 was just crazy.”</p><p>“The fact that we played in front of so many people, that I would like to relive for sure,” he added. </p><p>The Gin Kings, powered by Justin Brownlee, routed Bay Area 114-99 in Game 7, which was played in front of a record crowd of 54,589 fans at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/15/23/ginebra-overpowers-bay-area-in-game-7-to-rule-commissioners-cup">PBA: Ginebra overpowers Bay Area in Game 7 to rule Commissioner&#x27;s Cup</a></li></ul><p>Blankley also shared his thoughts on how passionate Filipinos are as hoops fans.</p><p>“The passion of the fans is a bit different. I [have] played in front of Taiwanese fans now, but I still think that Filipino fans really live and breathe basketball,” he explained. </p><p>Blankley will be looking to aid Lin in their 7 PM bout tomorrow as they hope to duplicate their previous victory over the Filipinos. </p><p>The former New York Knicks star balled out with 25 points and seven dimes, while Kings’ reinforcement Kenny Manigault finished with a 19-point, 11-rebound game alongside six assists. </p><p>Meanwhile, Meralco will not only be looking for revenge against New Taipei, but is also seeking momentum as they will face the red-hot Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots on Saturday in Iloilo City. </p>

The Meralco Bolts are looking to avenge their previous EASL loss against the New Taipei Kings as they square off at the PhilSports Arena. 

EASL: Hayden Blankley looks back on PBA experience ahead of rematch against Meralco

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EASL: Hayden Blankley looks back on PBA experience ahead of rematch against Meralco

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 02, 2024 06:30 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

EASL

East Asia Super League

PBA

Meralco Bolts

Jeremy Lin

Hayden Blankley

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