FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2025: Unicaja Malaga Clinch Historic Back-to-Back FIBA ICC Titles
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- 2 days ago
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Unicaja Malaga defeated NBA G-League 71-61 on Sunday night in front of an electrified crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium
The third consecutive FIBA Intercontinental Cup (FIBA ICC) in Singapore wrapped up last night with Spanish club Unicaja Malaga becoming the first team to successfully defend their their crown in 47 years.
The Basketball Champions League Europe winners defeated NBA G League United 71-61 in the Final, repeating the outcome from last year's championship game at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
This result raises Europe's silverware tally in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup to 24 trophies, with Spanish clubs accounting for 12 of those conquests. Their compatriots Real Madrid were the last team to win consecutive FIBA Intercontinental Cup trophies, claiming three in a row from 1976 to 1978.
On the other hand, NBA G League United finished second in back-to-back seasons, after becoming the first team from the USA to reach the Final since 1974.
Unicaja, who represented Europe by virtue of winning their second consecutive Basketball Champions League in May, won the Final by overcoming an early 12-point deficit.
A strong 23-5 third quarter paved the way to a double digit lead of their own, and with their stellar defence producing 19 turnovers by the opponents, Unicaja successfully defended their title.
Player of the Game, Kendrick Perry, finished the championship game with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, playing a crucial role in that third quarter that turned the game around.
The Most Valuable Player of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2025 was Tyler Kalinoski. Another 32-year-old, Kalinoski knocked down 9-of-10 three-pointers in the first two games, then followed it up with a 12-point performance in the Final.
"First off, winning the championship is always my first priority. I'm a player who always had pride in doing the little things to help the team win, whether that's me scoring 20 points in a game, or me scoring zero and getting rebounds and playing defense. That's always on my mind first," Kalinoski shared.
"I can't lie. It does feel really good to finally get one. I've been up there a few times, but at the end of the day, we've had some amazing players, every time somebody's got it - they deserved it. As much as this means, the big trophy means more for me."
Over the past two FIBA Intercontinental Cup editions in Singapore, Kalinoski has shot 22-of-36 from beyond the arc.
Earlier on Sunday, Al-Ahli SC became the first African team to finish on the podium. The Basketball Africa League champions defeated Brazil's Flamengo 91-82 in the Third-Place Game, setting a new mark for all African clubs - Zamalek (EGY), US Monastir (TUN) and Al Ahly (EGY) had all finished fourth previously.
Oceania claimed fifth position as the reigning NBL champions Illawarra Hawks eased away to a 93-69 win over Utsunomiya Brex. The Basketball Champions League Asia winners finished sixth, but still go down in history as the first team from Japan to take part in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup.
Final Standings:
1. Unicaja (Spain)
2. NBA G League United (USA)
3. Alahli SC (Libya)
4. Flamengo (Brazil)
5. Illawarra Hawks (Australia)
6. Utsunomiya Brex (Japan)
The Singapore Indoor Stadium, which held all three editions of the FIBA ICC since the tournament first made its debut on Singapore's shores in 2023. The venue has since impressed fans, many of whom had the opportunity to catch professionals in action on the court for the first time.
FIBA Intercontinental Cup Singapore 2024 was an important milestone for the competition, as it was the first to include all six continents. It set the standard for 2025, and this year was once again a celebration of global basketball.