Instituto survives dramatic comeback to secure BCL Americas Quarter-Finals spot
Instituto Atletico comes back from 15 down to steal the victory feb 9 2026
Instituto completes stunning Comeback
The Basketball Champions League Americas delivered high drama on Monday night as Instituto de Córdoba staged a remarkable comeback to secure their Quarter-Finals berth, while Obras Sanitarias ended their tournament campaign on a positive note with their first victory.
Instituto’s clash with Universidad de Concepción at the Estadio Ángel Sandrín will be remembered as one of the tournament’s most thrilling encounters. Trailing by 15 points, the Argentinian club mounted an incredible comeback to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The decisive moment came with just three seconds remaining when Anton Cook stepped up to the free-throw line and calmly sank both attempts to give Instituto the 87-86 victory. UdeC’s Isaac Hamilton had one final chance but his desperate buzzer-beater attempt fell short.
Nicolas Copello emerged as the hero for Instituto, scoring a BCL Americas career-high 20 points, with 13 of those coming in the crucial final quarter. His performance included 6 rebounds, 3 steals and an assist for a game-high efficiency rating of 24. Jordan Loveridge matched Copello’s 20-point tally, connecting on 4-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Despite shooting a lower percentage from the field, Instituto dominated the glass with 12 offensive rebounds and outscored UdeC 18-12 in second-chance points. The victory maintained their perfect 8-0 record against Chilean teams and secured second place in Group D with a 4-2 record.
Obras finally breaks through against Flamengo
In the other Monday night fixture, Obras Sanitarias ended their seven-game losing streak with an 85-75 victory over Flamengo, avoiding a winless tournament campaign. The Argentinian club controlled the game despite seeing their double-digit first-half lead evaporate early in the fourth quarter.
Juan Brussino proved instrumental in the victory, scoring 7 of his 19 points during a crucial 10-0 run that restored Obras’ control. The 34-year-old veteran also contributed 6 assists, extending his BCL Americas record to 224 career assists. Tyler Sabin added 18 points on efficient 4-of-9 shooting from 3-point range.
For Flamengo, the defeat marked their third consecutive loss and represented the first time in BCL Americas history that the Brazilian club had lost three straight games across their 60-game tournament history. Alex Negrete led their scoring with a BCL Americas career-high 22 points, shooting a perfect 13-of-13 from the free-throw line.
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