Current season, competition or edition: 2017 Merlion Cup (basketball) | |
_logo.png){kind=logo} Logo used since 2016 | |
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| First season | 1984 |
| Country |  Singapore |
| Most recent champion(s) |  Adelaide 36ers(1st title) |
| Most titles |  USSR Spartak China (2 titles each) |
The Merlion Cup is an international basketball tournament, in which clubs, national teams and selections take part. It is organised by the Basketball Association of Singapore.
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 tournament. 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. Two more editions in two years is planned by BAS citing the success of the 2016 edition attributing healthy attendances throughout the competition.[6]
| Year | Host | Final | Third place Game | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | Score | Second place | Third place | Score | Fourth place | ||||
| 1984 Details |
Geylang[7] |  China |
71–70[1] |  Madrid Estudiantes |
 Georgia USSR |
82–73 |  Mazda Cannons | ||
| 1985 Details |
Geylang[8] | USSR Spartak |
75–70[9] | China |
? | ||||
| 1987 Details |
Geylang | USSR Spartak[10] |
? |  Steiner-Optik Bayreuth |
? ( China Army or  KK Smelt Olimpija)[11]
| ||||
| 1988 Details |
Geylang |  Brewster Heights Packing[12] |
? | China Olympic |
? | ||||
| 1989 Details |
Kallang | Kiev Stroitel |
84–81[13] | China |
University of Nevada alumni |
82–77[14] | Gold Coast Cougars | ||
| 1991 Details |
Kallang | China |
90–74[15] | USSR Spartak |
? ( Kiev IPS Budivelnik or  World Basketball League All-Stars)
| ||||
| 1992 Details |
Kallang |  Fajing |
96–76[16] |  Shanghai |
? | ||||
| 1994 Details |
Kallang | Melbourne Tigers[17] |
? | Frankwell |
? | ||||
| 1996 Details |
Kallang |  Aspac Texmaco[18] |
88–84[19] | China |
? | ||||
| 2016 Details |
Kallang | Shanghai Sharks |
78–77 |  Mighty Sports |
 Seoul Samsung Thunders |
94–55 |  Singapore Slingers | ||
| 2017 Details |
Kallang | Adelaide 36ers |
101–81 | Shanghai Sharks |
Jeonju KCC Egis |
78–68 | Singapore Slingers | ||
| Country |  Gold |
 Silver |
Total[note 1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| China |
3 | 6 | 9 |
| Soviet Union |
3 | 1 | 4 |
| Australia |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 Hong Kong |
1 | 1 | 3 |
 Indonesia |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 United States |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Philippines |
0 | 1 | 1 |
 Spain |
0 | 1 | 1 |
 West Germany |
0 | 1 | 1 |
