Sabin's 26 points power Obras Sanitarias to inaugural Copa Islas Malvinas title over Ferro 90-78

Ty Sabin (190-G-1994, college: Ripon) erupted for 26 points, including six three-pointers, as Obras Sanitarias captured the first-ever Copa Islas Malvinas with a 90-78 victory over Ferro Carril Oeste at the Estadio Cincuentenario on Thursday night. The American guard was lethal from beyond the arc, connecting on 6-of-11 from three-point range and adding a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line across 31 minutes to lead Guido Fabbris' side to the trophy. Felipe Inyaco (181-SG-2002) provided vital support with 16 points on efficient 3-of-5 shooting from two and 2-of-3 from deep, complementing Sabin's perimeter barrage with 4-of-5 from the charity stripe in just under 23 minutes. The title — which also secures qualification for the Liga Sudamericana — is the first mid-season cup for Obras in their storied history. It caps a remarkable stretch for the Núñez club, who entered the tournament as the fourth seed but proved themselves the class of the field across two dramatic days in Formosa. Ferro fought hard behind a balanced scoring effort but could not contain Sabin's hot hand. Alejandro Diez (201-F-1987) led the Caballito club with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists, shooting 3-of-4 from three and going 5-of-6 from the free-throw line in 27 minutes. Facundo Pinero (202-F-1988) contributed 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds — including two on the offensive glass — along with a steal and two turnovers in 32 hard minutes. Valentin Bettiga (189-G/F-1999) added 12 points, four rebounds and three steals, while Rodrigo Gallegos provided a spark off the bench with 12 points and four rebounds in just over 14 minutes, hitting 2-of-4 from three. But despite the individual efforts, Ferro's collective shooting couldn't match Obras' firepower — particularly from distance, where Sabin alone outscored the entire Ferro three-point output. The 12-point margin ultimately reflected Obras' superior composure and depth on a night when both teams were playing on less than 24 hours' rest.

Both finalists had survived gruelling semifinals the night before. Obras needed two overtimes to outlast first-seeded Independiente de Oliva 122-113 on Wednesday, with Federico Zezular (198-SF-2001) producing a monumental 28-point performance. Ferro, meanwhile, had snatched their semifinal from the jaws of defeat when Emiliano Lezcano drilled an impossible buzzer-beating three-pointer to stun hosts La Unión de Formosa 90-89 — a shot that instantly became one of the season's most iconic moments.
The Copa Islas Malvinas replaces the former Copa Súper 20 and was deliberately scheduled for April 1-2 to coincide with the anniversary of the 1982 events in the Falkland Islands, lending additional symbolic weight to the competition. The Final Four format brought together the top four teams from the first half of the 2025-26 Liga Nacional season — Independiente de Oliva (1st), La Unión de Formosa (2nd), Ferro (3rd) and Obras (4th).
The two clubs boast the richest histories among the four participants. Ferro entered as reigning Liga Sudamericana champions after their December 2025 triumph, while Obras are three-time Liga Nacional champions (1985, 1986, 1989) who also won the Liga Sudamericana in 2011.
For Obras, the trophy is a statement of intent as the Liga Nacional season continues into its second half. For Ferro, the defeat stings after a cup run that featured one of the most dramatic shots in recent Argentine basketball history — but they will carry plenty of confidence back to Caballito.