Sao Paulo used a blistering shooting performance from all over the floor in the championship game of the 2022 Basketball Champions League Americas Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, defeating Bigua of Uruguay 98-84.
Bigua started the game hot, taking an 8-point lead in the first quarter, but a pair of free throws by Corderro Bennet with 1:12 gave Sao Paulo its first lead of the game 25-24, and they never looked back. Sao Paulo took a 57-47 lead into the half.
Bigua had hoped to come out strong to start the second half, but Sao Paulo opened the third quarter on a 10-2 run, eventually opening an 18-point lead at 67-49. A three-pointer by Henrique Coelho at the third quarter buzzer gave Sao Paulo an 84-60 advantage heading into the fourth.
Bigua started to chip into the big lead midway into the final frame, but a three-pointer by Marquinhos Sousa with 4:50 to play stretched the lead back to 17, and Bigua’s comeback attempt ran out of steam.
Tournament MVP Bruno Caboclo scored 29 points, one of five players in double figures scoring for Sao Paulo. Cordero Bennet added 17 points and 8 rebounds, Elio Corraza tallied 16 points and 12 assists, Sousa had 16 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, while Tyrone Curnell notched 10.
Victor Rudd led Bigua with 20, and Luis Santos had 19. Tournament leading scorer Donald Sims, who had averaged 26 points per game in the playoffs, was held to 17. Santiago Vidal added 19 points and 9 assists.
Sao Paulo shot 54.4% overall from the floor, including 18-for-35 from three-point range.
