Burgos aim for first repeat in 44 years, Flamengo eye second title

CAIRO (Egypt) - The FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2022 will see the sixth team in the competition's history become multiple champions as 2014 winners Flamengo take on reigning champs Hereda San Pablos Burgos, the latter hoping to become the first club to repeat in 44 years.

Flamengo will be playing in the Intercontinental Cup Final for the third time, following their 2019 loss to AEK Athens of Greece. Burgos for their part are the first team since Guaros de Lara to make back-to-back Finals - the Venezuelans winning in 2016 but losing in 2017.

 
Spanish dominance: Spanish teams have dominated this event with the last two titles; four of the last six; and nine of the 30 in total. In addition, Spanish clubs have a 9-3 record in the Finals of this competition with only Real Madrid losing to Akron Goodyear Wingfoots in 1968 and Ignis Varese in 1970; and FC Barcelona falling to Tracer Milano in 1987.

Sixth multiple champion awaits: Whoever wins Sunday's Final at the Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall in the Egyptian capital - Flamengo or Burgos - they will join Real Madrid (5 titles), Ignis Varese (3), Akron Goodyear Wingfoots (3), Ford Cantu (2) and Iberostar Tenerife (2) as the sixth club with multiple crowns. The last repeat winner was Real Madrid, who won the competition three straight years from 1976 to 1978.

Benite's heartstrings for both clubs: The Final will be a special game for Vitor Benite, who has actually won this cup for both clubs. Last year's crown came en route to the magical Basketball Champions League repeat, but the Brazilian native was 24 years old when he combined for 17 points and 7 rebounds in Flamengo's 156-146 two-game aggregate victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2014. One of Benite's teammate back in 2014 will be his opponent on Sunday as a then 29-year-old Carlos Olivinha tallied 22 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists in the two games.

Not new to the moment: Beside Benite and Olivinha, both teams have multiple players who have been in this game in the past. Should Flamengo win, one of Olivinha's Flamengo teammates will also take home a second crown as Mexican Lucas Martinez collected 5 points and 2 rebounds in Guaras'  74-69 win over Fraport Skyliners in 2016 in Frankfurt. Olivinha was also on the Flamengo team in 2019, as were Franco Balbi and Rafa Mineiro. In addition, Brandon Robinson, who was not available to Flamengo for the Semi-Finals, is back for the Final after collecting 25 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists against Burgos last season for Argentinean side Quimsa. Returning to the Final with Benite from the 2021 champs are Alex Renfroe, Xavi Rabaseda, Maksim Salash and Kareem Queeley.

Watch out for: Flamengo shot the lights out in their 94-71 Semi-Finals win over Lakeland Magic, hitting 18 three-pointers while also shooting 58 percent on two-pointers. The Brazilian club also dominated the glass 40-32.  Burgos were not overly efficient on offense in their 78-61 Semi-Finals victory over Zamalek, but the Europeans held the host side to just 29 percent shooting, including 22 percent on three-pointers. Burgos did however allow Zamalek to grab 20 offensive rebounds.

FIBA