Incredible! Lucas Dias beats the buzzer for Franca to win the FIBA Intercontinental Cup

SINGAPORE (Singapore) - The FIBA Intercontinental Cup added on Sunday a new name to the list of trophy winners, as Sesi Franca won the competition on a buzzer-beating fadeaway jumper of their captain Lucas Dias.

Sesi France defeated Telekom Baskets Bonn 70-69, making it only the second Final in Intercontinental Cup to finish by a single point margin, following the 2015 title game, which Brazil's Bauru won 91-90 against Spain's Real Madrid. Back then, the tournament used a two-game format in the Final, Madrid won the reverse fixture by 12 to claim the trophy.

Turning point: Telekom Baskets Bonn had all the momentum in the final two minutes, taking a lead on a big Christian Sengfelder three-pointer.

Till Pape and Marcio Santos exchanged impressive strong moves under the rim for the two teams to also exchange leads, and once Glynn Watson made his floater with 38 seconds to go, it looked like Bonn were an inch away from making history, owning a 69-68 lead.

That feeling was enhanced after Sesi Franca Basquete missed their next shot and decided not to foul with just 26 seconds left in the game. Bonn drained the shot clock, leaving 1.9 seconds to play.

Coach Helinho Rubens called a timeout and called his captain's number. Lucas Dias received the ball and made his trademark fadeaway from midrange, winning the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2023 Singapore at the buzzer.

Rigorer Player of the Game: It could only be Lucas Dias after that shot. He finished with 14 points and 6 rebounds on the day, creating a twin tower firepower under the rim with the 20-year-old Marcio Santos (15pts, 8reb, 2blk).

"Sem palavras," Dias said in Portuguese he' was lost for words after the game , fighting back tears after an emotional night in the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Stats don't lie: Anything inside the arc belonged to the Basketball Champions League Americas winners. Sesi Franca won the points in the paint 32-22, shot the ball 19-of-34 from two-point range, and held Bonn to just 16-of-44 from the same distance.

Bottom line: Sesi Franca become the third Brazilian team to win the Intercontinental Cup, after Sirio won it in 1979, and Flamengo in 2014 and 2022. Georginho De Paula promised his teammates he would leave with a trophy in his hands, and he delivered on that promise, posting 8 points and 5 assists in the Final.

David Jackson walks away with the MVP of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2023 Singapore award, leading the backcourt in the Final with 12 points and 8 assists.

Telekom Baskets Bonn are now the second German team to lose the Final, after Fraport Skyliners back in 2016. Watson scored 16 points off the bench, Harald Frey had 11, Sengfelder finished with 10 for the Basketball Champions League Europe winners.

FIBA