It took a while but the sixth edition of the Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA), with the participation of the Institute. This Wednesday at the Fiba Américas offices in Miami, the draw for the groups and the order of the matches was held.
Instituto is seeded in Group D, and will be home in the first “window” of the competition, in December. He will play with Franca from Brazil and Leones de Quilpué from Chile.
The best two will meet in the quarterfinals with the first two from Group C, made up of the champion Quimsa, Minas from Brazil and Bigúa from Uruguay.
Group A, due to geographical reasons, is made up, without a draw, of Real Estelí from Nicaragua, Toros de Valle and Paísas, both from Colombia. Group B has Flamengo from Brazil, Boca, champion of the National League, and Toros de Chiriquí, from Panama.
How the Champions League is played
The opening match is scheduled for December 11 in Santiago del Estero, the home of the current champion Quimsa, and also the only team with two titles (2019/20 and 2023/24).
In the Group Stage, teams will be divided into four groups of three and compete in three group stages in December, January and February. Each team will host a series of matches at its headquarters, playing three matches against each rival in the group. The two best teams in each group will advance to the quarterfinals, to be held in March, where they will be classified based on their records.
The quarterfinals will feature best-of-three series, with the first match hosted by the lowest-ranked team and the subsequent matches (the third if necessary) hosted by the highest-ranked team. They will be played from March 8 to 15.
The winners of these series will advance to the Final Four, to be played on April 19 and 20.
, Instituto has a strong roster and the coaching staff is prepared to tackle these challenges head-on.
Hi there! Today we have two esteemed guests with us to discuss the upcoming Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA). Can you please introduce yourselves and share a little bit about your expertise in this field?
Guest 1: Hi, my name is John Smith, and I’m a sports journalist with over 10 years of experience covering basketball across the Americas. I’ve been following the BCLA since its inception, and I’m excited to see how it progresses this year.
Guest 2: Hi, I’m Maria Garcia, and I’m the head coach of Instituto’s basketball team. We’re thrilled to be participating in the BCLA this year and looking forward to the challenges it brings.
Great to have you both here! The BCLA is a unique tournament that brings together some of the best teams from across the Americas. Could you tell us more about the format of the competition and how it helps to showcase the diversity of basketball talent in the region?
Guest 1: Absolutely! The BCLA is divided into several phases, including the Group Stage, Quarterfinals, and Final Four. It’s a brilliant format that promotes regional rivalries and provides a platform for teams from different countries to showcase their skills against each other. This year has seen some exciting additions to the tournament, including the participation of Instituto from Argentina, which adds another layer of intrigue to the competition.
Guest 2: I agree, John. The inclusion of Instituto in the BCLA is a testament to the growing popularity of basketball in South America. We’re excited to compete against teams from all over the continent and hope to make a strong showing. The format also allows for home-court advantage, which we feel can be a significant advantage for us.
Moving on to the drawing of lots, Instituto was placed in Group D with two other strong teams – Franca from Brazil and Leones de Quilpue from Chile. How do you see this group shaping up in terms of performance and potential challengers?
Guest 1: I believe that Group D is one of the toughest groups in this year’s competition. Both Franca and Leones de Quilpue have been consistent performers in recent years, so Instituto will have their work cut out for them. However
