ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - Ulaanbaatar Xac kept their mastery of New Taipei following another rout, 94-73, to advance to the Basketball Champions League Asia-East 2025 Final 4, Monday at the UG Arena.
The Broncos unloaded a massive 19-0 assault in the fourth quarter for a 90-64 lead with under four minutes left to play, making the time remaining a celebration among the home crowd for their landmark achievement.
No team from Mongolia got past the First Round of last year's BCL Asia Qualifiers, thus the delight of their ever supportive fans that the country gets to be represented in the Semi-Finals of the tournament.
It could actually be two depending on how Bishrelt Metal will do in Group A but this night, indeed, belonged to the wards of Coach Ariunbold Erdene as they secured the second and last ticket to the next round from Group B.
Ulaanbaatar Xac became the third team to qualify after Taoyuan Pauian and the Kings, making the race for the remaining slot in Group A all the more interesting as it would be a battle between Bishrelt and Pelita Jaya.
"Of course, we're so happy. But we need to focus on our responsibility because we still have two more games left," said Erdene. "We will prepare for our next games, That's why we need to focus and control ourselves."
Ian Miller top-scored for the Broncos with 23 points and 6 assists. Seasoned big man Jordan Tolbert was just a rebound shy of a double-double with 16 points and 9 rebounds, along with a pair of blocks.
Ikhbayar Chuluunbaatar came through with 14 points. Munkhtuvshin Davaadorj had 13 points, while Barsbold Baatar Erdene added 12 as the troika led the aforementioned run that took the fight out of New Taipei.
It was Davaadorj who ignited that hot of a scoring spree when he scored off a tough lay-up in response to the split from the foul line by Wang Po Chih on the other to open the scoring fray of the deciding frame.l
He then nailed a triple to follow up Jordy Tshimanga's left-handed jam to finish the break, before Baatar Erdene and Chuluunbatar came in with a trey and bucket from point-blank to further stretch the rally.
Tolbert and Miller joined the party and soon the lead would balloon to its highest at 26, and the Kings could no longer muster any resistance as Ulaanbaatar Xac cruised toward the 21-point conquest.
"Thinking about the season we've had, it's just a great accomplishment," reflected Tolbert, who earned Player of the Game honors. "It's a testament to the hard work that we've been putting in all year."
That fiery closeout put to naught the efforts of Mike Efevberha in leading New Taipei. The 40-year-old finished with a game-high 31 points, spiked by seven treys, and 12 rebounds as he tried to lift his team but to no avail.
Efevberha kept the Kings in it during the third quarter by leading a fightback to reduce a double-digit lead to three, 64-61, with 2:27 on the clock, but he can only do so much as Tolbert quickly responded with a 3-ball.
The Broncos would never let up since, leaving the team from Chinese Taipei reeling as they could not avenge the 81-68 defeat they suffered against the very same team last April 30 at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium.
New Taipei finished with a 4-2 record in Group B and will soon turn their attention to the much awaited BCL Asia-East Final 4 set May 30-June 1, the date and venue of which will be announced on a later date.
Ulaanbaatar Xac, on the other hand, improved to 4-0 and will look to repeat against Adroit Club (0-5) on Wednesday and Hi-Tech Basketball (2-3) the next night in a bid to finish the Group Phase unbeaten.
FIBA