Meralco finds itself facing another Japanese champion in its upcoming Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia) 2025 campaign in Dubai.
The Bolts will go up against Utsunomiya in Group B of the June 7-13 showpiece following a draw conducted on Saturday at the UG Palace in Mongolia.
It was just a few days ago when the Brex captured the 2024-25 B.League crown after surviving Ryukyu in the deciding Game 3 of the Finals, 73-71.
Soon, they’ll be serving as a hurdle that the reigning PBA Philippine Cup champions will have to overcome if they are to go deep in the BCL Asia.
Taking on Japanese contenders is nothing new to Meralco, though, having encountered other teams during their previous campaigns in the EASL home-and-away seasons, particularly against the Golden Kings.
And so, those experiences would surely be put to the test as they aim to give the Philippines the best finish it could in Asia’s top club competition.
This marks the second time that the MVP Group-owned franchise will represent the country and the PBA. They first did so back in 2018 in Nonthaburi, Thailand, when the contest was still known as the FIBA Asia Champions Cup.
There, they also fought another B.League outfit in Alvark Tokyo in a run that saw the team manage to reach the semifinals, ultimately finishing fourth.
But it’s not just Utsunomiya that they will have to worry about. The Bolts will also have to think about Shabab Al Ahli, the tournament’s gracious hosts.
The UAE League Basketball powerhouse is coming into the tilt as the Gulf League titlists of the 2024-25 FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL).
Shabab Al Ahli also hosted last year’s BCL Asia festivities and went all the way to the Final before settling for a runner-up finish behind the mighty Al Riyadi.
Looking for a repeat, Al Riyadi — which is also the reigning back-to-back FIBA WASL champions — is drawn in Group C along with Korean Basketball League champions Changwon LG Sakers and new P.League+ kings Taoyuan Pauian.
Led by Lu Chun Hsiang, the Pilots secured their spot by being one of the finalists of the ongoing BCL Asia-East 2025 Final 4 in Ulaanbaatar.
The Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos are the other finalists and are situated in Group A together with Chinese Basketball Association champions Zhejiang Guangsha Lions and FIBA WASL runners-up Tabiat Basketball of Iran.
The Basketball Champions League Asia 2025 is set on June 7-13 in Dubai. The Group Phase will be played at the Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Sports Hall, with the Coca-Cola Arena to play host to the Final Phase.
