If Justin Brownlee and Pelita Jaya are to advance in the Basketball Champions League Asia, they will have to get past the newly-crowned KBL and B1 champions.
Justin Brownlee and Pelita Jaya Jakarta are in for a challenge in the Basketball Champions League Asia, which will tip off June 9 over in Dubai, UAE.
The IBL club has been drawn to Group B of the tournament, alongside KBL Champions Busan KCC Egis and B.League Champions Hiroshima Dragonflies.
Also in Group B are the Shahrdary Gorgan, who qualified to the BCL Asia by making the Finals of the FIBA West Asia Super League.
In the WASL finale, Gorgan lost to Al Riyadi, who in turn got to Group A of the BCL Asia with CBA Champions Liaoning Flying Leopards, NS Matrix Deers, and hosts Shabab Al Ahli.
[Related: Justin Brownlee, KJ McDaniels help send Pelita Jaya to main Basketball Champions League Asia joust]
Brownlee and Pelita Jaya qualified to the BCL by having a perfect run in the regional qualifiers back in April, going 6-0.
Playing five games, except for the round 2 finale, Brownlee averaged 12.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists for Pelita Jaya, with the BCL becoming his first true introduction with the team after signing with the IBL club back in March.
[Related: Justin Brownlee joins former PBA imports at Indonesian team Pelita Jaya]
In the IBL proper, Brownlee has settled in and is going for 13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.7 steals for the 18-2 Jakarta club.
Brownlee and Pelita Jaya will open their BCL Asia schedule against Hiroshima Sunday, June 9, followed by a showdown against Gorgan on Monday, June 10. The Busan matchup comes on Wednesday, June 12.
Only the top-2 teams per group will advance in the BCL Asia.