From Bandung to Pelita Jaya: Reza Guntara thrives in BCL Asia Qualifiers debut
ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - Reza Guntara was going to find his way here to the Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia) Qualifiers one way or the other. He quickly made sure to make an impact, too.
ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - Reza Guntara was going to find his way here to the Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia) Qualifiers one way or the other.
He quickly made sure to make an impact, too. The 1.95M (6'5") forward dropped 20 points, leading his team, Pelita Jaya Basketball, in scoring and to a victory against Thailand champions Hi-Tech Basketball Club. The bulk of Guntara's points came from his three-point shooting as he drilled in 5 three-pointers (missing only one long-range attempt) while playing solid defense on the other end.
It's only the first game of the BCL Asia Qualifiers, but Guntara's scoring output is already the most he's scored in a FIBA competition which includes his appearances with the Indonesia national team over this past year.
Highest Scoring Games in FIBA competitions for Reza Guntara
| # | Game | Competition | Team | Points | 3PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | vs Hi-Tech Basketball Club, 99-81, 3/4/2024 | BCL Asia Qualifiers Round 1 | Petita Jaya Basketball | 20 | 5 |
| 2. | vs Syria, 84-78, 17/8/2023 | OQT 2024 Syria | Indonesia | 16 | 4 |
| 3. | vs Bahrain, 72-95, 16/8/2023 | OQT 2024 Syria | Indonesia | 14 | 2 |
| 4. | vs Australia, 51-106, 25/2/2024 | Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers | Indonesia | 9 | 3 |
| 5. | vs Saudi Arabia, 72-86, 14/8/2023 | OQT 2024 Syria | Indonesia | 7 | 1 |
Indonesia basketball fans shouldn't be surprised. After all, Reza Guntara is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in the Indonesia Basketball League (IBL) from the previous season. However, he did that as a member of the eventual champs Prawira Harum Bangdung - also bagging the Finals MVP award.
View this post on Instagram
Then, in the offseason, he announced that he was moving teams to Pelita Jaya with a heartfelt message to his fans and Prawira Bandung fans. Having brought the city and the team their first domestic league title in 25 years, his move was met with support.
View this post on Instagram
Therefore, his successful BCL Asia Qualifiers debut performance here was met with much love from the fans whether it was the Pelita Jaya fans, Prawira Bandung fans, or even just Indonesia basketball fans in general.
Will Guntara "The Gunnner" keep it going as Pelita Jaya continue their quest to qualify for BCL Asia and will they run into his former club in the near future? Fans will just have to tune in to find out.
Do you think Reza Guntara will be the best player in BCL Asia Qualifiers Round 1? Vote for him to show your support HERE.
FIBA