CIBACOPA FINAL: A coin toss

July 1 2025 — CIBACOPA FINAL – (Photo: VivaBasket)

The unexpected happened. Zonkeys de Tijuana have forced a seventh (and final) game against Astros de Jalisco to decide the 2025 CIBACOPA champion. On the last day of June, Tijuana pulled off a one-point win on the road, shocking many, including betting houses, who heavily favored Astros to close out the series in that game.

But how did we get here? Astros de Jalisco had an outstanding regular season, finishing second overall, with first place in the first half and third in the second. After cruising through the playoffs and defeating Caballeros de Culiacán in the quarterfinals, their only remaining obstacle was the Halcones de Obregón, whom they crushed at Arena Astros. Zonkeys de Tijuana, on the other hand, entered the playoffs in fourth place overall (third in the first half, but a disastrous ninth place in the second). They handled Pioneros de Los Mochis in the quarterfinals with ease. However, their biggest challenge awaited — the Ángeles de Ciudad de México, regular season leaders and clear favorites to win the title.

That series defied all odds. Zonkeys won the first two games on the road in Mexico City, only to drop two of the next three at home. The Ángeles pushed the series to Game 7, but Zonkeys eliminated them in their own arena, the Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera. Now, against all predictions, the final showdown is between Astros and Zonkeys — two teams that had very different regular seasons but have battled their way to the last game of an intense series. The series initially favored Astros, who won two games in a row at home, but Zonkeys responded by doing the same at the Auditorio Zonkeys. As it stands, both teams have won two games and lost one when playing at home.

Who will lift the trophy? That’s the question on everyone’s mind. It’s no secret that Astros are the obvious favorites. They had a stronger regular season and will be playing the final game at home. Betting houses agree and are predicting a five-point win for the home team.But Zonkeys have proven all tournament long that their results are anything but predictable. They’ve shown they can beat any favorite, even on the road. Will Astros celebrate their third championship at home? Or will Zonkeys earn their fourth star? t’s a final you won’t want to miss. Catch it live on ESPN and TVC Deportes today at 7:15 PM PST.