ASIA - It’s been another exciting week of action in the leagues over Asia! Whether it’s in the middle of a Finals series (Bahrain), start of the playoffs (CBA), last few games of the regular season (KBL and PBA), or even a regional championship (FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2019 WABA Qualifiers), you can be sure that these proud clubs are pouring their hearts and souls to claim win after win.

It’s mid-March and let’s check in on the madness going on!

Information and stats are updated as of March 17, 2019.

First step towards the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2019

The FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2018 title was handed to Petrochimi (IRI) 5 months ago. The path towards their title defense or crowning a new champion has already started last week in Baghdad at the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2019 WABA Qualifiers.

However, it was Petrochimi’s league counterparts Chemidor Tehran who finished on top in at the WABA Qualifiers with 4 straight wins. The two teams were separated ever so slightly by a game-winning Mahdi Kamrani layup in the last 30 seconds to give Chemidor a 74-73 win. Petrochimi finished in 2nd place with a 3-1 record while Naft Baghdad (IRQ) and Al-Jaish (SYR) claimed 3rd and 4th, respectively.

 

Good times for Iraq

The FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2019 WABA Qualifiers was the first major FIBA tournament held in Iraq in a long time and was a success all around, especially for the host nation. Fans rallied to root for their home team, Naft Baghdad, and created a fun environment for everyone. Though they weren’t able to claim first place, Naft Baghdad played in close games against both teams that finished ahead of them in a 10-point loss to Petrochimi and an 8-point loss to Chemidor.

Iraqi fans can also be proud of high-flyer Ali Hameed who recorded an insane 22 blocks over 4 games for an average of 5.5 per contest. To put that into context, Hameed swatted as many shots as the next 7 players following him in the rejections leaderboard.

Battle for Bahrain

The Bahrain Premier League is in the middle of an intense clash between Muharraq and Al Riffa. Both teams were able to exact revenge on the teams that knocked them out of the Semifinals from last season and now stand in the way of each other in the final showdown.

 

The first two games of the Finals series has been close with Muharraq winning by 1 points and 5 points, respectively, in Games 1 and 2. Muharraq veteran Ahmed Aldurazi has been the star of the Finals averaging 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in two wins. Al Riffa’s featured players Mohamed Buallay and Mohamed Kawaid have swapped turnes having bad games in the Finals, but the team might be able turn things around in this best-of-three series if both players can get back to their peak forms.

Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Regular Season Champs

Armed with Ra Gun-Ah, Lee Dae-Sung, Ham Ji-Hoon, and Yang Dong-Geun, this Ulsan Mobis team was pegged to not only be a championship contender but also the best team ever in KBL history.

Injuries to Lee and Yang left the team in a bit of a midseason funk, but they are still 7 games ahead of second placed Incheon ET-Land Elephants. Riding on a 7-game winning streak, Ulsan are currently 42-11 with one more game in the season to go. While they won’t be able to topple the league’s all-time best record of 44-10, it’s an impressive feat nonetheless for the regular season champs.

Rising Phoenix

The Phoenix Fuelmasters finished just out of the playoff picture last season in the Philippine Cup with a 5-6 record. With the addition of Calvin Abueva late in the year, improvements from Rookie of the Year Jason Perkins, and Matthew Wright continues his dominant run, Phoenix have taken it to a next level.

 

They clinched the top-seed in the playoffs by beating the defending champions, San Miguel Beermen 96-93 last Saturday, March 16. Phoenix, along with second seed Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, will have a twice-to-beat advantage over the 8^th and 7^th seed, respectively, in the Quarterfinal round of the playoffs.

First to 40 in B.League

Only 4 teams have been able to record at least 40 wins in each of the first two B.League seasons: SeaHorses Mikawa, Alvark Tokyo, Kawasaki Brave Thunders, and the Chiba Jets. This season, there will be at least one team that is going to keep the winning tradition going in the Chiba Jets who are the first squad to win 40 games this season.

 

The Jets cracked the 40-win mark with a resounding 105-74 victory over SeaHorses Mikawa. The team boasts a crazy efficient offense that is shooting close to 50 percent from the floor and 40 percent from downtown on 22.1 assists per game to score an average of 85.5 points per contest, all of which lead the entire league. The 40-8 Jets are on pace to be the first team ever in B.League history to reach 50 wins which would break the 49-win record set by Kawasaki Brave Thunders in 2017.

Among the last 13 games of the season, the key matchup for last season’s runners-up will be against division rivals Link Tochigi Brex (twice) and defending champions Alvark Tokyo (twice).

CBA starts their engines

The regular season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) has wrapped up with Guangdong Southern Tigers leading the table from start to finish, ending with a 42-4 record. The Southern Tigers will get a bye in the first round of the Playoffs along with the Liaoning Flying Leopards (38-8), Xinjiang Flying Tigers (33-13), and the Shenzhen Leopards (33-13).

In the meanwhile, as the remaining 8 teams fight to play-in to the Quarterfinals, here are the annual award winners of the CBA!

Rookie of the Year

Jiang Yuxing, Jilin Northeast Tigers (8.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game)

Defensive Player of the Year

Yi Jianlian, Guangdong Southern Tigers (7.5 defensive rebounds, 1.1 steals, 1.4 blocks per game)

Most Improved Player of the Year

Abudushalamu Abudurexiti, Xinjiang Flying Tigers (18.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game)

Most Valuable Player (Foreign)

Darius Adams, Xinjiang Flying Tigers (36.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.4 assists)

Coach of the Year

Du Feng, Guangdong Southern Tigers (42-4 record, 91.3 winning percentage)

Most Valuable Player

Wang Zhelin, Fujian Sturgeons (24.6 points, 13.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists)

Top of the Standings:

Alfa Lebanese Basketball League: Champville (12-3)
Bahrain Premier League: Muharraq leads Al Riffa in Finals (2-0)
Chinese Basketball Association (CBA): Guangdong Southen Tigers won regular season (42-4)
Iranian Super League: Petrochimi won regular season (15-1)
Iraqi Basketball Super League: Al Shorta (18-2)
Korean Basketball League (KBL): Ulsan Hyundai Mobis (42-11)
Super Basketball League (SBL): Taiwan Beer (20-12)
Philippines Basketball Association: Phoenix Fuelmasters (9-2)

FIBA