SINGAPORE (Singapore) - You can search far and wide, but it’s hard to find such a fast development as with the winners of the Basketball Champions League Asia.
Utsunomiya Brex only appeared in 2007, and by 2025, they collected three major trophies, including their first continental championship.
Based in Tochigi Prefecture in Japan, Brex take great pride in wearing the same colors as the Indiana Pacers. It started as a tribute to the sister state of Indiana, USA, but the team went on to even adopt a similar style of play as Tyrese Haliburton and his teammates.
Although they are still a young club, they already have a walking legend on their roster. D.J. Newbill turned 33 in May and celebrated his birthday by picking up the MVP award in the Japanese B.League – for the second time in a row, too – and also the MVP of the BCL Asia competition.
He scored 29 against Tabiat from Iran in the Quarter-Finals, 34 against the Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos from Mongolia in the Semi-Finals, and 21 in the title game against Al Riyadi Beirut Club, including the championship-winning three-pointer with 30 seconds remaining.
All these games were firecrackers, Utsunomiya won 94-93, 93-71, and 94-93 again, respectively.
Expect them in sixth gear start to finish in Singapore, too.
The Roster
Last name | First name | Position | Height | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Aoki | Blake | C | 6'9'' (206 cm) | JPN |
Edwards | Gavin | PF | 6'9'' (206 cm) | JPN |
Endo | Yusuke | SG | 6'1'' (185 cm) | JPN |
Fotu | Isaac | PF | 6'8'' (203 cm) | NZL |
Hiejma | Makoto | SG | 6'3'' (190 cm) | JPN |
Hoshikawa | Kaisei | SF | 6'4'' (194 cm) | JPN |
Ishikawa | Yudai | PG | 5'9'' (176 cm) | JPN |
Jerrett | Grant | PF | 6'10'' (208 cm) | USA |
Ikaruga | Seiji | PG | 6'1'' (185 cm) | JPN |
Newbill | DJ | G | 6'4'' (193 cm) | USA |
Ogawa | Atsuya | PG | 6'3'' (190 cm) | JPN |
Tabuse | Yuta | PG | 5'8'' (172 cm) | JPN |
Takashima | Shinji | SG | 6'3'' (190 cm) | JPN |
Takeuchi | Kosuke | PF | 6'9'' (206 cm) | JPN |
Watanabe | Hironori | PG | 5'10'' (180 cm) | JPN |
Head coach: Zico Coronel (NZL)