BEIRUT (Lebanon) – Another team is tasked to bring Malaysia back to the continent’s highest club tilt as the Johor Southern Tigers are set to play in the Basketball Champions League Asia-East (BCL Asia-East) 2026.

The last time that the Southeast Asian country got represented in the BCL Asia was in 2024 behind NS Matrix, who booked their ticket to the Dubai showpiece following a solid campaign in the BCL Asia Qualifiers.

The Deers had to earn their return trip through the BCL Asia-East inaugurals last year but ultimately fell short, so now it’s Johor’s turn to author their own story in the prestigious contest. Can they write a victorious one?

We have yet to see that, but the Southern Tigers are definitely no pushovers.

Qualifying path

For starters, they’re coming in as the defending Major Basketball League champions after conquering the 2024-25 competitions.

They beat the Penang Sunrise Youngsters for the crown and that title run couldn’t be any sweeter, as they finally tasted success after settling for runner-up finishes behind the Deers in the previous two seasons.

Johor were also responsible in dethroning their old tormentors by beating them in the best-of-3 Semi-Finals, coming back from a tough Game 1 loss by taking the next two matches to complete the reverse sweep.

There would be no stopping them since. They swept Penang in the Finals, capped by a dominant 83-66 victory in Game 2 to annex the crown – and become the country’s representatives to the BCL Asia-East 2026.

Team history

The club was established in 2022 and since its commencement, the team has competed in Malaysia’s U20 and U23 Malaysia Development Basketball Leagues, as well as, of course, in the Malaysian pro league.

Since joining Malaysia’s premier hoops league in the same year, the Southern Tigers have reached the MBL Grand Finals for three consecutive seasons, demonstrating remarkable consistency and competitiveness.

And as discussed, their breakthrough came in the 2024-25 season when they captured the ultimate prize, marking their first pro title in history and further solidifying Johor’s position as a rising force in Malaysian basketball.

Players to watch

Johor have been loading up their roster for the upcoming tourney by signing up major talents. Just recently, they acquired Malaysia men’s team veterans Wong Yi Hou, Ooi Xian Fu, and Matthew Chin Jin Yen.

Wong and Chin are expected to provide additional leadership for the Southern Tigers of Coach Yong Kiang Ann because of their BCL Asia-East experience, as the tandem suited up for NS Matrix last year.

They’ve also called in foreign reinforcements led by big man Aaron Geramipoor, who played for Iran in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China and averaged 10.4 points to help his team finish with a 2-3 record.

Scottie Lewis, who played briefly for the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA back in the 2021-22 season, and another G-League vet in Ahmed Hill will join hands with the former Team Melli standout to bolster Johor’s bid.

Wong was also part of the NS Matrix team that played in the BCL Asia 2024.

The Johor Southern Tigers are among the seven teams competing in the highly awaited BCL Asia-East 2026, which commences on March 27 in Indonesia. To know more about their campaign, click here.

FIBA