Spain’s Unicaja gunning for glory at Fiba Intercontinental Cup in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Spanish club Unicaja claimed their maiden Basketball Champions League (BCL) title in 2024, but they are putting the champagne on ice for now as they embark on a new goal – winning the title in their maiden Fiba Intercontinental Cup (ICC).

They are among six teams competing in the annual event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium from Sept 12 to 15. Joining them in Group A are Al Riyadi Beirut (Lebanon) and Petro de Luanda (Angola).

Tasmania JackJumpers (Australia), Quimsa (Argentina) and National Basketball Association G League United (United States) make up Group B.

Back in Singapore for a second year, the competition features each continent’s champions, as well as a representative team from the G League, which is the NBA’s official minor league.

The final of the 2023 edition saw about 8,000 fans thronging the 12,000-seater Singapore Indoor Stadium.

In recent editions, European clubs have dominated, winning five of the last seven titles. Spanish teams have also clinched 10 out of 33 titles.

Unicaja captain Alberto Diaz told The Straits Times: “There’s a lot (of excitement) because we come here to try and win a title. We are ambitious, the team have a good mentality for this moment and we are in really good shape right now. 

“We started the season with one trophy, and for the ICC, it’ll not only be Europe, but around the world. So for us, it’s really important this tournament. 

“The opponents are really tough, they are the best teams in the world, so nothing is going to be easy. I’m sure that we have to fight each game and each minute to win the title, and we’re ready for that.”

The 30-year-old point guard, who represented Spain at the recent Paris Olympics, is in his 12th season at Unicaja. Having been at the club through their highs and lows, including their lowest finish in Spain’s domestic Liga ACB (12th) in 2021-22 and the 2023 Copa del Rey triumph, he wants to repay the fans’ faith by winning the ICC.

But coach Ibon Navarro warned that the calibre of their rivals is high, while also highlighting the unpredictability and unfamiliarity of the opposition.

The 48-year-old said: “One of the main issues is that we don’t know the opponents. This is the first time that we’re going to play against some of these players and the different styles of basketball that the other teams play. 

“We want to be very competitive, but we also want to feel that we are prepared. The most important thing at this point is to know the opponents’ players, more than their styles. If you don’t know the best skills of each player, sometimes you cannot understand why they play the way they do.”

The other teams will also be aiming to leave their mark on the competition. Unicaja will play Petro, who are the ICC’s first sub-Saharan outfit, in their opening game on Sept 12. Al Riyadi, who won the BCL Asia in June, will be relying on the competition’s Most Valuable Player Wael Arakji to spearhead their offence.

In a debut for the region, Oceania will be represented by Australia’s National Basketball League winners, the Tasmania JackJumpers. They are led by American coach Scott Roth, who was previously the assistant coach of several NBA sides, including the Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors.

G League United will boast the likes of Japanese Olympian Keisei Tominaga and 2022 NBA champion Juan Toscano-Anderson, while BCL Americas winners Quimsa return after finishing second at the 2021 edition.

On Sept 14, fans will also be treated to the Fiba Hall of Fame Class of 2024 induction ceremony, featuring the likes of Serbia’s Predrag Stojakovic and American Reggie Miller.

Fans can enjoy free entry to the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Sept 12. Tickets for the other days are available at sistic.com.sg, with prices for the Sept 15 final ranging from $50 to $80 for adults.