VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision) - Nostalgia took over on Saturday night before the start of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup showdown in Buenos Aires between Argentina's Quimsa and Hereda San Pablo Burgos of Spain.

Shortly before tip-off, FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis walked to mid court in the Obras Sanitarias Stadium and presented Argentina Basketball Confederation President Fabian Borro with a mounted and framed original scoresheet of Argentina's 64-50 win over the USA at the inaugural FIBA Basketball World Cup Final played in the city in 1950.

Borro then handed Zagklis the latest jersey of Argentina, who made it to the Final of the last World Cup, played in China in 2019.

After receiving the framed boxscore of the1950 Final, Borro presented Zagklis with an Argentina jersey

It was a nice touch to start proceedings. That 1950 World Cup result is one Argentina's legendary successes in the sport.

Buenos Aires has been important, too. It's been at the center of some very famous moments for basketball, like in 1978 and 1983, when the FIBA Intercontinental Cup was staged in the same Obras Sanitarias arena. At the second of those events, Obras Sanitarias became the only team in Argentina history to win the competition by beating Italian juggernauts, Jollycolombani Cantu.

The FIBA Intercontinental Cup is always special because clubs from different continents square off. It feels like a celebration of basketball. The 2021 edition was a game between Basketball Champions League winners Burgos and BCL Americas champions Quimsa.

"WITHOUT A DOUBT. IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME IN THE CAREER OF EVERY QUIMSA PLAYER."- Quimsa captain Mauro Cosolito

This game was huge for the players, judging from the pre-game remarks of Quimsa captain Mauro Cosolito.

Asked if it was the most important game of his career, he answered quickly: "Without a doubt. It is the most important game in the career of every Quimsa player."

It was an opportunity for Quimsa to show itself to an international audience against a team from arguably the best domestic league in Europe.

It seemed to explain why Quimsa forward Fabian Ramirez, right before the start of the second half, was sobbing. Quimsa trailed by 24 points and looked dead and buried and Ramirez, standing behind the Quimsa bench area, had to be consoled by teammates because a wrist injury was preventing him from playing any more. 

Vitor Benite of Burgos hit five three-pointers and scored 19 points on his way to the MVP honor 

In the end, the game was not a blowout.

Hereda San Pablo Burgos poured in 56 points in the first half but came back down to earth in the second with Quimsa, led by the brilliance of Brandon Robinson and the gutsy play of Alejandro Diez off the bench, storming back.

Robinson had 25 points, hitting a couple of three-pointers early in the second half to start the fightback, while also scoring on some tough drives. Diez had 11 points and six rebounds.

Quimsa closed the gap to 75-70 with 1:51 remaining but Burgos, led by their brilliant Brazil international Vitor Benite, the FIBA Intercontinental Cup MVP, held on for a 82-73 victory.

Quimsa lost, yet they also won.

"This makes us all grow, we put the Quimsa shirt very high," Quimsa coach Sebastian Gonzalez said. "We want to be here again. We have the tools and we want to return."

And for Burgos, it was another memorable night. The club has only been in the Spanish top flight, the Liga Endesa, since the 2017-18 season, yet it has already won last season's Basketball Champions League after making it through the Qualifying Round. And now, just several months later, the club has lifted the FIBA Intercontinental Cup.

"This is like a dream for the city of Burgos," said the team's explosive guard, Thad McFadden. "Let's keep the dream going."

While I look forward to the next edition returning to a four-team format, or possibly six or even seven clubs and having outfits also from Asia and Africa, this event was terrific.

It pitted Europe against the Americas in an historic Obras Sanitarias Stadium venue, had an exciting Quimsa comeback that came up just short and ultimately added to an already magical run for Burgos, which has now captured two trophies in less than four months.

Jeff Taylor
FIBA

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

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