Merlion Cup (basketball)

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Merlion Cup
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2016 Merlion Cup (basketball)
Singapore Merlion Cup (2016) logo.png
Logo used since 2016
Sport Basketball
Inaugural season 1984
Country  Singapore
Most recent
champion(s)
Indonesia Aspac Texmaco
(1st title)
Most titles Soviet Union USSR Spartak[note 1]
 China
(2 titles each)

The Merlion Cup is an international basketball tournament for clubs which is also participated by national teams and selections and is organized by the Basketball Association of Singapore.

History[edit]

The inaugural Merlion Cup was hosted in 1984 with the Chinese national team winning over Spanish team Madrid Estudiantes.[1] The tournament was held next year but the 1986 edition was cancelled due to sponsorship issues amidst a recession.[2]

The tournament was resumed in 1987 and was held annually until the 1996 with the 1993 edition not held due to the 1993 Southeast Asian Games[3] and the 1995 edition being cancelled.[4]

The Gay World Stadium later renamed as the Geyland Indoor Stadium has been used as the venue of the tournament from the inaugural until the 1987 tounament. From the 1989 until the 1996 edition the Singapore Indoor Stadium was used as the venue of the basketball meet.[5]

The Merlion Cup was not to be held again until 2016 when the BAS decided to revive the tournament.

Results[edit]

Year Host Final Third Place Game
Champion Score Second Place Third Place Score Fourth Place
1984
Details
Geylang[6]
China
71–70[1] Spain
Madrid Estudiantes
Soviet Union
Georgia USSR
82–73 Australia
Mazda Cannons
1985
Details
Geylang[7] Soviet Union
USSR Spartak
75-70[8]
China
?
1987
Details
Geylang Soviet Union
USSR Spartak
[9]
? West Germany
Steiner-Optik Bayreuth
? ( China Army or KK Smelt Olimpija)[10]
1988
Details
Geylang United States
Brewster Heights Packing
[11]
?
China Olympic
?
1989
Details
Kallang Soviet Union
Kiev Stroitel
84–81[12]
China
United States
University of Nevada alumni
82–77[13] Australia
Gold Coast Cougars
1991
Details
Kallang
China
90–74[14] Soviet Union
USSR Spartak
? ( Kiev IPS Budivelnik or World Basketball League All-Stars)
1992
Details
Kallang Hong Kong
Fajing
96–76[15] China
Shanghai
?
1994
Details
Kallang Australia
Melbourne Tigers
[16]
? Hong Kong
Frankwell
?
1996
Details
Kallang Indonesia
Aspac Texmaco
[17]
88–84[18]
China
?
2016
Details
Kallang

Medal tally[edit]

By country[edit]

Country  Gold  Silver Total[note 2]
 Soviet Union 3 1 4
 China 2 5 7
 Hong Kong 1 1 3
 Australia 1 0 1
 Indonesia 1 0 1
 United States 1 0 1
 Spain 1 0 1
 West Germany 1 0 1

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Combining the results of Kiev Stroitel and USSR Spartak, the Soviet Union has the most number of titles (3 titles).
  2. ^ Does not include bronze medal results due to lack of data

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Koh, Tony (24). "China take title in thrilling clash". Singapore Monitor. 9 September 1984. Retrieved 29 August 2016.  Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Siouw, Peter (14 October 1986). "Commercial Cup is off". The Straits Times. p. 23. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  3. ^ "Miscellaneous Column 1". The Straits Times. 24 December 1993. p. 36. Retrieved 29 August 2016. THE local basketball scene was very quiet, what with the popular Merlion Cup international competition being postponed to next year because of the June South-east Asia Games. 
  4. ^ "Merlion Cup cancelled". The Straits Times. 13 February 1995. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  5. ^ Ho, Shirlynn (15 May 1989). "Merlion Cup first at Indoor Stadium". The Straits Times. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  6. ^ "Sports around the World". The Age. 10 September 1984. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  7. ^ "You'll be suprised what comes to light in Singapore this month". New Sunday Times. 13 September 1985. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  8. ^ Siouw, Peter (16 September 1985). "Spartaks fly in final". The Straits Times. p. 29. Retrieved 29 August 2016. Russians win explosive Merlion battle against stubborn China... ...The European giants (USSR Spartak) hammered out a dramatic 75-70 victory... 
  9. ^ Lee, Wai Wun (8 July 1988). "Tbilsi to carry on Soviet Challenge". The Straits Times. p. 37. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  10. ^ Lim, Seng Tiong (18 July 1987). "Zharkov zeal seals Spartak's victory". The Straits Times. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  11. ^ Chan, Alfonso (8 August 1988). "Bets on the Americans". The New Paper. p. 32. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  12. ^ "SPECTACULAR SOVIETS". The New Paper. 4 December 1989. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  13. ^ Lee, Wai Wun (4 December 1989). "Switch in tactics pays off". The Straits Times. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  14. ^ Sim, Albert (24 November 1991). "Chinese in runaway victory". The Straits Times. Retrieved 29 August 2016. CHINA put on a sparkling performance to overwhelm Spartak, of the Soviet Union, 90-74 in the final of the Merlion Cup basketball tournament last night. 
  15. ^ Gascon, George (21 December 1992). "HK Fajing strolls to the title". The Straits Times. Retrieved 29 August 2016. Merlion Cup basketball final: HK Fajing 96 Shanghai 76 
  16. ^ "Mauling Tigers bags title". The Straits Times. 28 November 1994. p. 51. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  17. ^ "Aspac Texmaco Basketball Team". Asian Basketball Association. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 
  18. ^ "Aspac's splurge on US stars pays off". The Straits Times. 9 September 1996. Retrieved 29 August 2016.