Franca (Brazil) – Season 6 of the BCL Americas will have a new champion. SESI Franca put on a solid display at home and knocked out the defending champions, Quimsa, with an 84-73 victory to win the Quarterfinal series 2-1 at the Ginásio Pedrocão. The Brazilians advanced to the Final 4 and now await the winner of the matchup between Flamengo and Paisas to determine their semifinal opponent.
Turning point
After trailing 44-38 at halftime, Franca came out with a different energy in the third quarter, going on a dominant 27-7 run to take control of the game, leading 65-51 heading into the final period. Their three-point shooting was key, as the hosts knocked down 5 of 6 attempts from beyond the arc during that stretch. Quimsa was unable to cut the deficit to single digits for the remainder of the game, bringing their campaign to an end.
Player of the game
Georginho De Paula set the pace for the winners with 24 points and 10 rebounds. David Jackson contributed 19 points, hitting 5 of 6 from three-point range.
Quimsa had four players scoring in double figures, but it wasn’t enough. Brandon Robinson finished with 16 points, Tavario Miller recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Juan Brussino and Agustín Pérez added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Stats don’t lie
Franca capitalized on Quimsa’s 14 turnovers, outscoring them 17-4 in points off turnovers. The Brazilian bench also outperformed the Argentine reserves, contributing 36 points compared to 24.
Bottom line
After being eliminated in this same round last season, Franca bounced back and will play in their second Final 4. The last time they reached this stage (Season 4), they went on to win the championship. With Quimsa’s elimination, the BCL Americas’ trend continues—no team has been able to win back-to-back titles.
FIBA