BEIJING (China) - History was close to being made at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2026 in Beijing, as Boca Juniors almost created the first ever Final without a European team.
However, Rytas Vilnius found a marvelous fourth quarter in the Semi-Finals, won it 27-12 to keep the streak alive - in every single FIBA Intercontinental Cup format and event so far, a team from FIBA Europe has reached the Championship Game.
The NBA G League United will be on the other side in the last game in Beijing. The last time a team from the United States won this event was in 1974, when the Maryland Terrapins lifted the trophy.
Rytas Vilnius 77-70 Boca Juniors
The battle of the two Basketball Champions League winners, from Europe and the Americas, was exactly what everybody expected. A five-on-five physical battle where both teams failed to reach a double digit advantage.
In such a game, Boca's eight-point lead to start the fourth quarter after a pair of Lucas Faggiano three-pointers seemed gigantic, especially with Rytas' starting point guard Cassius Winston suffering an ankle injury.
However, coach Nedas Pacevicius figured it out for the Lithuanian juggernauts.
With Michael Devoe running the point and Ricky Lindo hitting big three-pointers, Rytas erased the deficit in no time, before opening a five-point lead on a Devoe pull-up three with just under two minutes to play.
Boca tried fighting back, but fell to the most unlikely of all weapons. Augustas Marciulionis, Rytas' backup point guard, cleaned up the mess, getting the offensive rebound and a putback layup to make it a two-possession game at 75-70 with 30 seconds left to play.
Devoe and Marciulionis scored 14 apiece for Rytas, while Kay Bruhnke added 10 to continue his run of double digit games at the Intercontinental Cup.
Micheal Warren had 16 for Boca.
RSSB Tigers 95-114 NBA G League United
The first Semi-Final was the exact opposite, with plenty of free flowing basketball, fast breaks, transition threes and individual greatness.
It was only a three-point game at the half, with both teams scoring 50+ in the first 20 minutes, but as soon as Eric Dixon took over in the third quarter, the game became a one-way street.
The G Leaguers won the third stanza by 12, then charged all the way to a comfy win while scoring 100+ points once again in China.
Lester Quinones was easily the best player on the day, scoring a game-high 29 points, saying he's ready to get to the 30-point mark in the Final, the third straight for the NBA G League United.
Phillip Wheeler had 24 with dunks all over the place, while Dixon finished with 16.
Craig Randall scored 25 for the Tigers, on 10-of-25 shooting from the field, Teafale Lenard added 22 to the mix, but the Basketball Africa League winners couldn't reach the Final.
Beijing Royal Fighters 101-87 Shanghai Sharks
The fifth place game was also played on Saturday, with the two Chinese Basketball Association clubs facing off.
The Royal Fighters sent a message by defeating the reigning CBA champions with ease, powered by their two guards in Grant Riller (22pts in 22min) and Javonte Cooke (17pts in 14min).
Zou Yuchen (13pts), Luo Hanchen (11pts) and Harry Giles (10pts, 7reb) were also in double figures, while Shen Zijie deserves a special mention, not just for 7 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, but also for +19, the highest +/- of the game.
Cui Xiaolong had 18 for the Sharks, while Brandon Goodwin signed out of the Intercontinental Cup with 13 points in 21 minutes of action.