BEIRUT (Lebanon) - Teams from Basketball Champions League Asia-East (BCL Asia-East) have proven that they belong in the continent's most prestigious club meet following commendable performances last year.
Inaugural BCL Asia-East champions XAC Broncos and runners-up Taoyuan Pauian Pilots made a good account of themselves, as the proud ball clubs reached the Final Phase of the successful BCL Asia 2025 in Dubai.
Both squads are competing in the BCL Asia-East 2026 that commences next week but before wondering if they could pull off a repeat of what they accomplished, let's take a look first at how they fared in the Emirati city.
Taoyuan Pauian Pilots
Finish: Quarter-Finals Overall standing: 1-2
The 2024-25 P. League+ champions were actually one of the tournament's biggest what-ifs. They did win their opening game by way of an 89-73 rout of KBL side Changwon LG Sakers, although it came at a price.
In that same game, the Pilots lost star guard Justin Lu to a right ankle injury and was eventually ruled out for the rest of the tilt. Without him, Taoyuan Pauian would lose their next two outings and get sent packing.
They first lost to then-defending champions Al Riyadi to end the Group Phase, and then to hosts Shabab Al Ahli in the Quarter-Finals - but not before giving the 2025 FIBA WASL-Gulf League titlists a major scare.
All in all, the Pilots left the 'City of Gold' with a 1-2 record. But some fans and pundits alike believe that it could've been a whole different campaign for the Chinese Taipei club had Lu remained healthy all throughout.
With the Pilots coming back to BCL Asia-East, will there be a redemption tour ahead? That we have to find out, but there should be no question that last year's BCL Asia campaign should motivate Coach Iurgi Caminos & Co.
That, of course, includes the seasoned internationalist in Lu himself, who was actually one of the BCL Asia East 2025's top players as evidenced by his per-game averages of 14.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.
XAC Broncos
Finish: Third place Overall standing: 3-2
Last season proved to be a banner year for Mongolian hoops. The XAC Broncos became the first team from the country to win a regional title when they ruled the BCL Asia-East, but the club refused to stop there.
They didn't want to become known only as the first Mongolian team to play in BCL Asia since 2012, but aimed to author their very own story which they eventually did by taking home a historic bronze medal.
With BCL Asia-East MVP Ian Miller steering the wheel, the Broncos accomplished as much by downing 2024 BCL Asia runners-up Shabab Al Ahli in the Third-Place Game in a culmination of their 'business trip' in Dubai.
They opened their BCL Asia campaign with an 84-67 beatdown of CBA representatives Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, and went on to finish as the second seed in Group A with a 1-1 record behind Tabiat Basketball.
That brought them to the eight-team Quarter-Finals, in which they took down then reigning PBA Philippine Cup champions Meralco Bolts, 83-78, to reach the penultimate phase behind a big second-half reversal.
Coach Ariunbold Erdene's wards bowed to eventual champs Utsunomiya Brex but that loss only fueled their charge toward the bronze, downing Shabab Al Ahli, 84-79, behind Azbayar Altangerel's perfect showing.
Are the Broncos bound for an even more special run this time?
Lest we forget... the BCL Asia Qualifiers
We really cannot talk about the BCL Asia-East and the event's success without mentioning its precursor: the BCL Asia Qualifiers, that is, which was played in 2024 and offered no shortage of action across two rounds.
Round 2 featured the top four teams from the opening phase and as the dust settled, Pelita Jaya Basketball and NS Matrix emerged as the best of them - and went on to book their tickets to the tournament proper.
Both squads, however, fell short of getting past the Group Phase of the BCL Asia 2024 held in Dubai as well, although the Indonesian outfit put up a gallant stand as proven by the 2-1 win-loss slate they finished with.
In fact, three teams in Group B ended up sharing the same record, but having the inferior point difference hurt their chances, enabling WASL contenders Shahrdari Gorgan and the Hiroshima Dragonflies to advance instead.
The Deers, on the other hand, went winless in three games in Group A although they came so close in pulling off a major upset against the Liaoning Flying Leopards, which was still a moral victory for the Malaysian crew.
Eventually, the Broncos and Taoyuan Pauian would make their predecessors proud with good outings in the BCL Asia that followed, showing as well that teams from this region have what it takes to be among the best.
FIBA