MIES (Switzerland) - Five seasons in the Basketball Champions League, five Round of 16 appearances. UCAM Murcia continued their successful run in this competition, winning Group H and moving straight to the sweet 16 group phase.
Manisa Basket and Peristeri Domino's have to go through the Play-Ins in January, while FMP SoccerBet ended their maiden BCL adventure with one win in six games.
Smooth sailing for UCAM
Coach Sito Alonso modified his roster, trusting that even the players who aren't getting a lot of minutes this season could take care of business against Peristeri Domino's in a rematch from last season's Third Place Game.
It proved to be the right call by the hosts, as they led from start to finish to pick up an 83-76 win. Peristeri were hanging around for most of the game, refusing to be blown out, but winning on the road seems to be mission impossible when facing UCAM Murcia.
Over their last 27 home games in the BCL, they are now 25-2, which is something to keep in mind if Murcia reach the Quarter-Finals with homecourt advantage.
"For us it's very important to get the first position. We started the season playing what I felt was a great game against Manisa and we lost in OT. For the second season in a row we have been able to finish first after losing the first game, last year against Derthona and this year against Manisa. I think it's important for us to have this kind of reaction, beating all the other teams away and playing good basketball," coach Alonso commented after the game.
Dylan Ennis missed practice due to medical reasons last week, but he was back to his finest in this one, getting 14 points in the first half alone. He finished with 19 points in 19 minutes, Marko Todorovic scored 16, while Nemanja Radovic counted to 10.
19-year-old Fabian Flores Moreno scored his first points in the BCL, after averaging 12 points and 10 rebounds per game for Murcia in the Youth BCL in 2023.
Chris Coffey was Peristeri's best player with 21 points and 6 rebounds.
Lee and Besson, best one-two punch in BCL?
Manisa Basket had a slim chance to win the group, but at least they got a consolation prize of getting back to winning ways after two straight defeats in the BCL. They defeated FMP SoccerBet 103-84 to finish the Regular Season at 4-2 and secure homecourt advantage for the Play-Ins.
The first half was all about Saben Lee and Hugo Besson exchanging highlights, both of them scoring 17 points before the break, while the entire FMP team had 37 points in that same span.
With arguably the best one-two punch in this competition being that hot, Manisa were quick to get a double digit lead and never looked back, storming to a comfortable win which meant FMP's BCL campaign ends in December.
Lee collected 28 points and 9 rebounds, Besson had 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, while Martynas Echodas had 13 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.
Matic Rebec was once again FMP's best player with 18 points in 25 minutes.
UCAM Murcia will now be in the Round of 16 Group L, alongside ERA Nymburk and two Play-In winners, coming from the A2 vs B3 and F2 vs E3 matchups.
Manisa Basket will face NINERS Chemnitz in the Play-Ins, with homecourt advantage in the best-of-three series, while Peristeri Domino's have to win at least one road game against Bertram Derthona Basket in that same phase.
The Play-Ins tip off on January 7, while the Round of 16 begins on January 28.