JOHOR BAHRU (Malaysia) - One looks to settle some unfinished business, while the other aims to write their own story as Taoyuan Pauian and South China Athletic vie for BCL Asia-East 2026 supremacy this Sunday.
The Final between the last two teams standing is set to tip off at 20:00 local time at the Arena Larkin Indoor Stadium, with the both of them going for broke as the winner gets to be crowned as this region's best.
Sure, the P.League + and HKA1 outfits have met their goal of reaching the BCL Asia proper set later this year, but hoisting the coveted trophy at the end would be the perfect conclusion to their respective campaigns.
Much of the attention is drawn on the Pilots, with fans and observers alike wanting to see if they can finally win the whole thing after falling just short of doing so last season as the Broncos took the championship.
It truly was a disappointing end to their run although it gave the club from Chinese Taipei a blueprint of sorts on how to make their way back into the finale, which is why they were able to book a return trip this season.
Now, they're just one win away from completing their redemption tour, and the charges of head coach Iurgi Caminos have no intention of letting it slip away as they waited for this very moment to come.
"The main goal is to come here and win tomorrow. We are one step closer," said the Spanish mentor moments after their 100-86 ouster of Dewa United Banted in the knockout Semi-Finals on Saturday night.
However, standing in their way is a team that knows them all too well, to the point that it already has a template on how to beat them - and is definitely planning to put it into practice again in a bid to succeed.
Similar to the 2025 competitions, Taoyuan Pauian won their first seven games, but the streak stopped at the hands of SCAA, a 110-103 decision in the last game of the Final 6 Group Phase just last Thursday.
It also foiled their bid of winning a third straight game against the Hong Kong, China representatives, having beaten them twice during the regular season, which allowed them to accomplish a six-game sweep.
The big difference in their latest encounter was Isaiah Briscoe, who exploded for 45 big points - including 20 in the final period alone - to reset the BCL Asia-East record for most points by a player in a single game.
"They signed Isaiah Briscoe, we know how good he can be when he's hot. But at the same time, having played against him the last time, it's a point of learning for us to try to be better," Caminos said.
Still, they have the edge in the head-to-head at 2-1. But the Pilots will be facing a team that's become even more confident, as they were responsible for sending the Broncos' rule of the league crumbling down.
They did so by way of a convincing 90-75 win in the Semi-Finals, which not only brought them to the Final but also became the first team from Hong Kong, China to reach the BCL Asia since Winling back in 2002.
That's over 20 years of wait that came to an end, and that's big thanks to the major turnaround they pulled off - they only won twice during the regular season (2-4) before going perfect thus far in the Final 6 (3-0).
And just like the Pilots, South China wouldn't want to waste the golden opportunity to win it all.
"From now on, every game we win, it will be history for SCAA, and for Hong Kong, China basketball," offered head coach Lo Yi Ting proudly. "So happy to make it to the next stage. We'll try to win all games."
Meanwhile, locking horns in the Third-Place Game at 17:00 local time would be the Broncos and Dewa United in another clash between familiar foes, having met one another during the Final 6 Group Phase.
For sure, the Indonesian Basketball League side would want to repeat against the erstwhile defending champions, whom they beat harshly, 95-53, last Wednesday to sweep their way into the Semi-Finals.
The Mongolian powerhouse, on the other hand, would want not only to get back but to salvage some pride after their repeat bid got foiled as fatigue caught up to a team that played in a total of three leagues this season.
FIBA