Victorious Unicaja aim to keep focus in next game

Spanish outfit Unicaja lived up to their billing as one of the favourites for the Fiba Intercontinental Cup (ICC) when the Basketball Champions League winners defeated Angolan side Petro de Luanda 9478 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Sept 12.

- Lin Tianbao

The result sees them top the three-team Group A, with a win against Lebanon's AI Riyadi Beirut on Sept 13 enough to seal their place in the final two days later.

Against the ICC's first sub-Saharan team, Unicaja dominated early proceedings but had a nervy end, with both coaches receiving technical fouls in the closing stages for protesting against officiating calls.

Unicaja coach Ibon Navarro told The Straits Times: "It was an important win, especially how we approached the game in the beginning. In the first 13 to 14 minutes, we were on a very high level.

"Then in the last (quarter), we lost our concentration, and that's something we have to control and fix for the future. The most important thing right now is to recover and make sure everybody is ready for tomorrow.