MIAMI (United States) - Nacional extended its winning streak in the 2025-26 Basketball Champions League Americas season, while SESI Franca secured a crucial victory that guaranteed the team first place in Group D on Saturday. The Uruguayan powerhouse improved to 5-0 with the win at Estadio Obras Sanitarias in Buenos Aires after erasing a double-digit deficit. Meanwhile, in the 300th game in the history of BCL Americas history, SESI Franca defeated Instituto to win the head-to-head matchup 2-1, upsetting the Argentinians at Estadio Angel Sandrin in Cordoba. Here’s a look at the day’s highlights:
Obras 73 – 77 Nacional
Nacional (5-0) had to dig deep to preserve its unbeaten record after trailing by as many as 12 points against Obras (0-5). The Uruguayan squad uncorked a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter to pull even and prevailed down the stretch behind James Feldeine’s clutch play. The Dominican guard had a pair of tough buckets in the final minutes, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 13 seconds left in the game. He finished with 15 points, 4 rebounds and a pair of steals while shooting 6-for-11 from the field.
Connor Zinaich led the way with a massive 21-point, 14-rebound double-double (his third n 4 BCLA games), while domestic stars Bernardo Barrera (13) and Luciano Parodi (11) also scored in double digits. Nacional’s advantage in the paint (40-32) proved decisive to help offset the fact that Obras hit twice as many three-pointers (12). For the Argentinians, it was a disappointing outcome after leading throughout most of the night. Big man Andrew Corum shot 4-for-8 from beyond the arc and finished with 20 points (a BCL Americas career-high) and 8 rebounds but was held to just 2 points in the final stanza. Federico Zezular had 11 but was held scoreless in the second half. Obras had small edges in points off turnovers, fast break points and second-chance points, but couldn’t do enough offensively (39.1 percent for the game) to come out on top. These teams are facing opposite realities. While Nacional is undefeated and enjoying its best streak in the history of BCL Americas, Obras has now lost seven straight, one away from the team’s worst mark in the competition.
Instituto 68 – 89 SESI Franca
An 11-0 run in the second quarter allowed SESI Franca (4-1) to pull away from Instituto (3-2) and they never looked back on the way to its fifth consecutive win in Argentinian soil. The Brazilians nursed a double-digit lead throughout the second half and led by as many as 23 points. The team coached by Helinho Rubens shot 50 percent on 2-pointers and knocked down 17 of 22 free throws. They also had a 9-2 edge in points off turnovers. David Jackson led the way with 23 points, 9 rebounds and a pair of assists. The 43-year-old had a team-high 22-efficiency rating and now has 699 career points in BCL Americas, one shy of becoming the fourth player to reach the 700 club. Luis Rodríguez Jr. (17 points and 6 rebounds), Corderro Bennett (15), Paulo Barbosa (10) and Georginho De Paula (10 points, 6 boards and 4 dimes) also scored in double digits for the winners.
Instituto struggled on the offensive end. The team shot 37.1 percent from the field, 5-for-22 from beyond the arc and missed 8 free throws. Tomás Monacchi recorded a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double, his first in four BCL Americas games. Javier Saiz, Vicente Garello and Anton Cook also reached double digits. Both teams had already clinched their spot in the Quarter-Finals. FIBA