FIBA Intercontinental Cup: Brazil's Sesi Franca win final with buzzer beater

SINGAPORE — Brazilian club Sesi Franca won the 33rd edition of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in the most dramatic fashion possible, sinking a buzzer-beater to defeat Germany's Telekom Baskets Bonn 70-69 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Sunday (24 September).

Forward Lucas Dias hit a fadeaway jumper as time expired in the fourth quarter, giving the reigning Basketball Champions League Americas champions their first Intercontinental Cup title after two previous final losses in 1975 and 1980.

Bonn, the European champions, had came back from 52-58 down in the final quarter to take a 69-68 lead with 35.2 seconds left in the game.

However, Dias received the ball in the paint from American teammate David Jackson with two seconds left on the clock, swivelled and launched a high-arcing jumper that hit nothing but net, as Sesi Franca celebrated wildly at their last-gasp win.

Jackson was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, after averaging 17 points, 5.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game in Singapore.

The Zhejiang Golden Bulls, the first Chinese club to participate in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, secured third place with an 81-74 win over Egypt's Al Ahly, while the NBA G League Ignite team were fifth after beating Bahrain's Al Manama 80-60.

This FIBA Intercontinental Cup edition was the first to be hosted in Asia, and was the first to feature Asian clubs, in addition to teams from the Americas, Africa and Europe.

Singapore will be the host nation for two further editions, with the next one to be held in September 2024.

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