Day 1: Eastern take first-ever BCL Asia Qualifiers game; Pelita Jaya, Broncos, Prawira Bandung score routs

ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - Hong Kong Eastern Basketball Team, Pelita Jaya, Ulaanbaatar Xac, and Prawira Harum Bandung were triumphant in Day 1 of the Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia) Qualifiers' First Round continued Wednesday at the UG Arena.

16-0 run propel Eastern to first-ever BCL Asia Qualifiers win

NS Matrix Deers' Kuek Tian Yuan made history with the first-ever basket in the BCL Asia Qualifiers, tipping off the intense action between the two teams in Group A.

 

In the end, however, it was Hong Kong Eastern Basketball Team that emerged victorious in the first-ever game of the competition, 80-73.

 

The Deers had a strong start to the game with Jordan Tolbert logging a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds to go with 3 steals and 3 blocks already in the first half. He'd finish the game with 19 points and 14 rebounds.

The Malaysian champions held on to a two-point lead going into the half. They'd even build a lead to as much as 9 points in the third, triggered by a three-pointer from Taishaun Johnson.

However, it would be Hong Kong Eastern who ended up shaking off the rust first. The champions from Hong Kong, China erupted for a 16-0 run after falling behind mostly.

This gave them the lead for good, even when Johnson (23 points, 3 rebonds, 5 assists, 4 steals) tried to spark a comeback by the Deers.

Dominic Gilbert had a spectacular debut with 26 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and a block. The most important part of his game that contributed to the victory was his efficient free-throw shooting where he missed only one of his 12 charity stripe attempts.

Hong Kong Eastern youngster "Simba" Yuet Yeung Pok also had a good game, racking up 10 of his 12 points in the first half, while big man Chris McLaughlin held it down in the paint with 16 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks.

Pelita Jaya wallop Pelita Jaya for strong start

Forward Muhammad Guntara starred as Pelita Jaya Basketball dealt Hi-Tech Basketball Club a 91-88 beatdown to start off Group B action via dominant fashion.

 

The 28-year-old finished with a FIBA competition personal-best 20 points on a 5-of-6 clip from deep, as he helped spark the decisive 18-2 run that gave themselves a commanding 73-56 advantage approaching the last two minutes of the third, setting up the rout.

 

JaQuori McLaughlin was crucial as well with his own 20 points, on top of 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Andakara Prastawa supplied 12 points, spiked by a pair of treys. Alioune Tew came through with solid double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Justin Brownlee contributed 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in a turnover-less performance for the Indonesian side, which led by as many as 29 points.

Freddie Lish, on the other hand, led Hi-Tech with a game-high 25 points in the loss. Moses Morgan made 14 points, while Nattakam Muangboon and Marcus Elliott added 11 each.

Balanced attack help Broncos beat Adroit

Ulaanbaatar Xac deployed a balanced attack to shred Adroit Club, 98-74, to join Pelita Jaya at the top of the Group B standings in the third game of the day.

 

Tommy Bilguun and Divine Myles led the pack with 16 points apiece for The League's reigning champions, which began to take control of the game late in the second quarter before breaking away for good in the following period en route to a successful Qualifiers debut.

 

Myles sparked the 7-0 run to finish the first half with the Broncos ahead by 13, 53-40, and they'd remain up by double digits the rest of the way. Their lead rose to as high as 26.

Munkhtuvshin Davaadorj scored 13 points. Justin Moss had 12, while Tushig Elbeg and Ikhbayar Chuluunbaatar added 11 and 10, respectively, as six played finished in double figures in the win that saw the squad shoot 57-percent from the field, thanks to 23 assists.

Donald Kelly, meanwhile, made 21 points and 9 rebounds while Ng Hanbin supplied 18 points as the two served as the few bright spots for Adroit in the beatdown.

Prawira Harum Bandung crush Bishrelt Metal

Prawira Harum Bandung were hardly bothered by the Mongolian home crowd as they crushed Bishrelt Metal, 83-66, to cap off the Qualifiers' Opening Day festivities.

 

Antonio Hester led the way with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Brandone Francis made 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Yudha Saputera also came through with 19 alongside 7 boards as the trio helped out in the third-quarter breakaway towards the 17-point romping.

 

Francis and Saputera laid the foundation early in the said chapter, and Hester would go in with under five minutes to go in the same period to help turn the game into a full blowout that saw them lead by as many as 23 points, 83-60, with about 46 seconds left to play.

Prawira Bandung shot 49-percent from the floor and forced Bishrelt Metal to 22 turnovers in the victory that enabled them to join Hong Kong Eastern on top of Group A.

Jeantal Cylla, meanwhile, led the Mongolian side with 23 points on five triples. Uuganbayar Tumenbayar was the only other double-digit scorer for the team with 14 in the loss.

Top stats of the day:

Points - 26 (Dominic Gilbert, Hong Kong Eastern Basketball Team)
Rebounds - 15 (Alioune Tew, Pelita Jaya Basketball)
Assists - 6 (Justin Brownlee, Pelita Jaya Basketball)
Steals - 4 (Multiple Players)
Blocks - 4 (Multiple Players)

Top highlight of the day:

 

FIBA