TEHRAN – DJ Newbill showed nerves of steel in the endgame to lift Japanese club Utsunomiya past Tabiat of Iran in double overtime, 94-93, to reach the BCL Asia 2025 Semi-Finals at the Coca-Cola Arena, Wednesday.

The seasoned combo guard finished with a game-high 29 points mainly behind a quintet of three-pointers, none bigger than his last one which he launched from deep to wipe out a 91-93 deficit with 17.4 seconds left.

Ivan Buva tried to save the FIBA WASL runners-up but his hook shot went in and out, and a botched attempt by Arman Zangeneh to clean it up all but sealed the deal for the 2024-25 B.League champions, fiba.basketball reported.

Newbill also collected 6 rebounds and 10 assists in an all-around effort to lead his side to the penultimate phase, where they will face the winner between the Meralco Bolts and the Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos.