SINGAPORE, 15 SEPTEMBER 2024 – Spanish club Unicaja Malaga defeated NBA G League United 75-60 in the Final of the 34th FIBA Intercontinental Cup at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Sunday to celebrate their first title in the competition.
This result raises Europe’s silverware tally in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup to 23 trophies, with Spanish clubs accounting for 11 of those conquests. On the other hand, NBA G League United became the first team from the USA to reach the Final since 1974.
Unicaja, who represented Europe by virtue of winning the Basketball Champions League last spring, jumped in the lead early in the opening period and held a 6-point cushion, 38-32, at half-time.
Powered by their stifling defense, the Spanish side tightened their grip on the game after the break and led by as many as 21 points in the fourth stanza to reclaim the trophy for Europe, after Brazil’s Sesi Franca had won it last year.
Dylan Osetkowski was named MVP of the 2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, after leading all Unicaja scorers in the Final with 15 points. The 28-year-old power forward averaged 11 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in the tournament.
Tasmania JackJumpers clinch third in FIBA Intercontinental Cup debut
There was no shortage of drama in the Classification Games on the final day of the 2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup.
In the 3rd-Place Game, the Tasmania JackJumpers needed a sublime fourth quarter to erase a 7-point deficit against Al Riyadi Beirut. They took it one possession at a time, and as the clash entered the final minute the scores were tied at 75-all.
That’s when Anthony Drmic did what he does best, knocking down a gigantic three-pointer to give the JackJumpers a three-point lead. The Australians kept their calm at the free-throw line in the dying seconds to secure an 80-75 win.
Drmic finished with 12 points on the day, but the best part of his stat line was the +13 with him on the floor. It was the second highest mark on his team, as the amazing Will Magnay put up 19 points and 7 rebounds with the JackJumpers being +19 in his 25 minutes of action.
Majok Deng played a rock solid game with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists off the bench.
The NBL champions won the final quarter by 12 points, but Al Riyadi Beirut showed they belonged here and are competitive at this level, narrowly missing out on back-to-back third-place finishes for Asia.
The BCL Asia winners got 19 points from Hayk Gyokchyan, who also added 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Elmedin Kikanovic had 16 points, Amir Saoud 14, while Wael Arakji came off the bench in this one to collect 13 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds.
Petro de Luanda claim fifth place in thriller
In a similarly thrilling game earlier on Sunday, Petro de Luanda needed a clutch jumper to seal the deal in the 5th-Place Game against Argentina’s Quimsa.
The BAL and Angola champions dialed Solo Diabate’s number, and he delivered a pull up two-pointer to put the game out of Quimsa’s reach, for Luanda to celebrate a 70-64 win, the first by an African team at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup.
Luanda had to overcome a 13-point margin, and they did so with a brilliant second quarter. Quimsa had one more run in them, but a 10-point advantage in the fourth was enough for the Angolan team.
Abou Gakou was the top scorer for BAL champions with 20 points, Patrick Gardner picked up an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Solo Diabate went all-round for 15 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.
Nicolas Romano was once again the top scorer for Quimsa with 13 points, but the BCL Americas title holders leave Singapore without a win.
Final Standings:
1. Unicaja (Spain)
2. NBA G League United (USA
3. Tasmania JackJumpers (Australia)
4. Al Riyadi Beirut (Lebanon)
5. Petro De Luanda (Angola)
6. Quimsa (Argentina)
FIBA Intercontinental Cup Singapore 2024 was an important milestone for the competition, as it was the second edition to be hosted in Asia and the first to include Oceania. The event has evolved into a truly global celebration, the only club basketball competition to involve all six continents.
CREDIT: FIBA & SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB