ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - Three teams will battle it out for the two remaining tickets to the BCL Asia-East 2026 Final 6 as the Group Phase heads into its final stretch this week at the MBank Arena in this city.
Group B will do the honors of closing out the preliminaries on May 5-8 but it sure is going to be a tight three days in the Mongolian capital, given what's at stake especially for the teams below Taoyuan Pauian.
The Pilots are already through to the Final Phase - in fact, they were the first to qualify after clinching the pool's top seed by mauling domestic rivals New Taipei last April 26 for their fifth win in as many games.
So, that leaves the Kings, the Chinggis Broncos, and the South China Athletic Association jockeying for the last two spots of the pan-regional league's culminating event, the venue of which to be announced soon.
As it stands, NTK and the defending champions have the inside track of completing the Final 6 cast. The TPBL representatives are currently toting a 2-3 record, while the defending champions sport a 1-2 slate.
South China are in a dangerous position with a 1-4 card and that leaves them with no other choice but to win their only remaining game of the Group Phase: a meeting with the Mongolian powerhouse on May 5.
Win and they stay alive but if they lose, then that would mark the end of their maiden campaign in the tournament that serves as a qualifier to BCL Asia, the continent's highest club competition fully owned by FIBA.
It sure is going to be easier said than done for the HKA1 outfit, as they will be taking on a Broncos team that wants no less than a sweep of their three-game homestand to advance as they're in the midst of a two-game skid.
Plus, the team of Coach Ariunbold Erdene are coming into the final Group Phase leg with renewed confidence, having successfully defended their The League title at home just recently by beating the Selenge Bodons.
After facing South China, the Broncos will take a day of reprieve before looking to get back on their P. League counterparts on May 7, and then try to do the same versus New Taipei on May 8 to close out the Group Phase.
Their two losses thus far were courtesy of the Chinese Taipei representatives, the reason why Taoyuan Pauian eventually clinched the no. 1 spot and the Kings reviving their hopes after a 0-2 start into the season.
No doubt that we shall have a fun window ahead.
Four of the Final 6 slots have already been completed by the Group A teams, with Dewa United Banten coming in as the no. 1 team from the pool, followed by Hi-Tech Basketball Club and the Johor Southern Tigers.
For a better look at the whole competition structure, click here.
FIBA