Unicaja Chases FIBA Intercontinental Cup Glory in Singapore
SINGAPORE – Fresh off their historic triumph in the 2024 Basketball Champions League (BCL), Spanish club Unicaja has set its sights on the FIBA Intercontinental Cup (ICC), looking to add another trophy to their cabinet. However, they are not celebrating just yet, knowing they face tough competition in their ICC debut.
The annual tournament, being held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium from Sept 12 to 15, features six teams vying for international glory. Unicaja is in Group A, alongside Lebanon’s Al Riyadi Beirut and Angola’s Petro de Luanda. Group B includes the Tasmania JackJumpers (Australia), Quimsa (Argentina), and National Basketball Association (NBA) G League United (USA).
This is the second time the ICC has been held in Singapore, with the 2023 edition drawing around 8,000 fans to the 12,000-seat Singapore Indoor Stadium. European clubs have dominated recent tournaments, winning five of the last seven titles, and Spanish teams have claimed 10 of the 33 championships to date.
Unicaja’s Quest for Another Title
Unicaja captain Alberto Diaz, who also represented Spain at the 2024 Paris Olympics, expressed the team’s determination to add another title to their resume. “We come here to try and win a title,” Diaz told The Straits Times. “We are ambitious, the team has a good mentality, and we are in really good shape right now.”
Diaz, a 30-year-old point guard in his 12th season with Unicaja, knows what it’s like to experience both highs and lows with the club. From their disappointing 12th-place finish in Spain’s Liga ACB in the 2021-22 season to winning the Copa del Rey in 2023, Diaz is eager to repay the fans’ faith by claiming the ICC title.
“The opponents are the best teams in the world, so nothing will be easy. We have to fight every game, every minute, and we’re ready for that,” he added.
Coach’s Caution
While Unicaja’s ambitions are clear, head coach Ibon Navarro warned that the team faces formidable and unfamiliar opponents. “One of the main issues is that we don’t know the opponents,” said the 48-year-old coach. “This is the first time we’re playing against some of these players and experiencing the different styles of basketball from other continents.”
Navarro emphasized the need to focus on understanding individual players rather than just their playing styles. “The most important thing is to know the opponents’ players. If you don’t know their best skills, you can’t fully understand their game,” he noted.
A Global Clash of Champions
The ICC brings together continental champions from across the world, and this year’s edition promises an exciting showcase of basketball talent. Unicaja will open their campaign against Petro de Luanda on Sept 12. Petro, the ICC’s first Sub-Saharan representative, is expected to provide stiff competition.
Al Riyadi Beirut, fresh off their BCL Asia triumph in June, will rely on tournament MVP Wael Arakji to drive their offense. Meanwhile, Tasmania JackJumpers, the first team from Oceania to compete in the ICC, are coached by Scott Roth, a former assistant coach for several NBA teams, including the Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors.
Adding even more intrigue to the tournament is G League United, which will feature Japanese Olympian Keisei Tominaga and 2022 NBA champion Juan Toscano-Anderson. Quimsa, the BCL Americas winners, are also in the hunt after finishing as runners-up in the 2021 edition.
Hall of Fame Induction
As a special treat for basketball fans, the FIBA Hall of Fame Class of 2024 induction ceremony will be held on Sept 14. The ceremony will honor legends such as Serbia’s Predrag Stojakovic and American sharpshooter Reggie Miller.