Prawira Bandung Overcomes Deficit to Win Despite Missing Key Players

The reigning Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) champions Prawira Harum Bandung demonstrated their champion character by overcoming the loss of star scorer Brandone Francis to defeat Hong Kong Eastern Basketball Team 53-50 in the Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia) Qualifiers on Monday.

Despite being down early in the game, Prawira went on an impressive 18-5 scoring run in the third quarter to take the lead and hold on for the hard-fought victory. Antonio Hester led the way for Prawira with a dominant performance, recording 19 points and hauling in 15 rebounds.

Prawira also received key contributions from James Gist and the backcourt duo of Indra Muhamad and Yudha Saputera to secure the win without their full roster. The victory keeps Prawira unbeaten in the BCL Asia Qualifiers.

In the other qualifying game, Pelita Jaya Basketball also remained undefeated by defeating NS Matrix Deers 94-79. KJ McDaniels and JaQuori McLaughlin powered Pelita Jaya, the IBL runners-up, to the convincing win.

Why this matters: The wins by Prawira and Pelita Jaya keep the Indonesian teams in strong position to advance to the main tournament of the Basketball Champions League Asia. Their success also showcases the rising level of basketball talent and competition in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

Prawira head coach Andika Saputra praised his team's resilience, saying, "I'm proud of how our guys stepped up and fought through adversity tonight. It shows the character and depth of this team. We still have a lot of work to do, but this is a good win to build on." The BCL Asia Qualifiers continue on Wednesday, with Prawira Bandung facing off against Pelita Jaya in an all-Indonesian clash.

Key Takeaways

• Prawira Bandung defeated Hong Kong Eastern 53-50 in BCL Asia Qualifiers
• Pelita Jaya also remained undefeated, defeating NS Matrix Deers 94-79
• Prawira's Antonio Hester recorded 19 points and 15 rebounds
• Wins keep Indonesian teams in strong position to advance in BCL Asia
• Prawira and Pelita Jaya to face off in an all-Indonesian clash on Wednesday