Iberostar Tenerife wins 2017 Basketball Champions League

Spanish club, Iberostar Tenerife CB Canarias have prevailed over some of Europe’s top teams to win the 2017 Basketball Champions League. They captured the inaugural title after defeating a tough Banvit Basketbabol Kulubu in finals, 59-63.

They threaded a gauntlet of some tough competition en route to the championship, beating teams like Greece’s PAOK Thessaloniki, France’s ASVEL Lyon-Vileurbanne in the quarterfinals, and Italy’s Umana Venezia in the semis. Despite the challenges, Iberostar Tenerife played well and overcame all obstacles.

The yellow shirts’ dominant three-point shooting proved to be the key factor in the win in the final game. They hit a blistering 46.1% of their shots (12-of-26) from beyond the arc, compared to Banvit which made just 5-of-21 from long range. In the end, it would be a clutch three by Davin White that would secure Iberostar’s lead late in the game. He ended the game with 14 points and five assists. Marius Grigonis led the champs in scoring with 18 points, making 4-of-7 shots from deep.

Jordan Theodore, who was named Basketball Champions League Most Valuable Player, paced Banvit with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Gediminas Orelik recorded a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

This was an excellent first season for the league and it will be interesting to see what awaits the teams and fans in 2017-18.