MIES (Switzerland) - Four game Tuesday, four instant classics all over the continent. The Czech champs showed how serious they are, the 2018 champions enjoyed the crazy atmosphere in Athens, while Pallacanestro Reggiana picked up an overtime road win.
The game of the night was in Malaga, Spain, though.
Unicaja 92-74 Rytas Vilnius
The defending champs faced their toughest opponent during the record setting winning run, but not even the Lithuanian champions could do anything to stop them, despite owning a five-point lead in the third quarter.
The streak is now extended to 18 straight wins, while ending Rytas's own six-game run, their best in this competition.
Coach Giedrius Zibenas did not allow his players to drop their heads down, even when the hosts opened up a 10-point lead late in the first half. Instead, Rytas were the ones coming out strong after the break, erasing the gap completely, and taking a 52-47 lead on a Jayvon Graves baseline dunk.
But the best part about Ibon Navarro and his coaching is that he always finds the hottest guy of the moment. Kameron Taylor connected on five straight points, and when Kendrick Perry and Tyler Kalinoski joined the fun, it was Unicaja back in front by three ahead of the final ten minutes.
Unicaja's depth was the key in the final stanza, as they kept pushing the tempo and opened up another six-point lead with six minutes to play.
Another timeout did not help the guests, Tyson Carter took over, punishing all the switches, hitting a pair of big three-pointers to put it out of Rytas's reach and picking up the perfect timing for his BCL season-high.
Carter collected 26 points in 19 minutes of work, 16 of them coming in the fourth quarter. Perry finished with 15 points and 7 assists, while Kalinoski had 13 in 17 minutes.
RJ Cole had 15 for the Lithuanians, Gytis Radzevicius scored 12. Honorable mention: Rytas Vilnius fans, who made the trip to Malaga in numbers and kept supporting them from start to finish.
AEK Betsson BC 93-86 Bertram Derthona Basket
With Bertram Derthona Basket taking a slim lead early in the second half, the 2018 champions needed something to wake them up in Athens. Their fans understood the assignment, creating one of the craziest and loudest atmospheres, one that lasted the entire second half.
The standing ovation moment happened in the final minute. Prentiss Hubb, who hit a game-winning layup against Kolossos H Hotels in the Greek League over the weekend, had another superb game, and his stepback three sent AEK to 2-0 in the Round of 16.
Hubb counted to 30, his BCL season-high, exactly what the lefty guard needed after scoring a total of 29 points over his last three games.
The 25-year-old shot 10-of-14 from the field, including 5-of-9 from three-point range, while also grabbing 6 rebounds with 3 assists and an efficiency rating of 34, a game-high by some distance.
We warned you about RaiQuan Gray in our BCL Fantasy tips, and the big guy delivered once again. He finished the game with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 steals.
Derthona got 18 points from Kyle Weems, but they are down at 0-2.
"We lost two close games on the road, one by one point and now by seven, maybe it could have been less. I have to be optimistic because it's a long way. There are four more games, one more on the road, three at home. We will see what happens. I have to be optimistic for everything that could happen, if I'm down now probably they would fire me immediately," coach Walter De Raffaele stayed positive.
AEK are now 5-0 at home in the BCL this season. They only have one more game remaining in Athens, and have to hit the road three times in March.
ERA Nymburk 85-70 UCAM Murcia
Some might have been surprised to see ERA Nymburk ranked above UCAM Murcia in our latest Power Rankings. Nobody is surprised after Tuesday afternoon in Czechia.
The perennial Czech champs outmuscled Murcia, taking the lead in the second quarter and never looking back again. With Tylan Birts keeping the foot on the gas defensively the entire time, Nymburk kept stealing the ball, running and scoring with ease to open up a 19-point lead and claim a 15-point win.
Birts had 13 points with 4 steals, J.T. Shumate provided instant offense off the bench for 15 points in 19 minutes, Christian Bishop lived above the rims for 15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block.
Trademark Francesco Tabellini win, Nymburk coach saw his men get 17 steals, provoke 21 Murcia turnovers, win the points in the paint 48-20, and go 40-17 in bench scoring. No wonder the opposing coach was full of praise afterwards.
"They played much better than us. They play very physical, I really like it. They play basketball and (I have) nothing to say. In my opinion this is the favorite, but maybe not just for this group," Murcia playcaller Sito Alonso commented.
"Playing in this physical style, they are one of the favorites that is able to beat even the great physical teams like Unicaja, Manresa, Tenerife. They are the favorite obviously in this group, but even for the rest of this competition."
Nymburk are now up to 2-0, while Murcia dropped to 1-1.
Howard Sant-Roos had two steals on the day to become the new all-time leader in steals in the BCL, getting 119 in his career, overtaking the previous leader David Holston at 118.
Aliaga Petkimspor 87-91 Pallacanestro Reggiana
Is it really a BCL night if there is no overtime somewhere? Aliaga Petkimspor and Pallacanestro Reggiana played the closest game of the day, with Jamar Smith knocking down a gigantic three-pointer from his favorite spot to give the Italians a one-point lead.
It wasn't the game winning shot, as Wesley Van Beck's free throw tied it at 79-all after 40 minutes.
Turns out, Petkimspor just delayed their fate. Cassius Winston and Kwan Cheatham Jr scored for Reggiana in the closing seconds of the OT, while Lorenzo Uglietti didn't mind doing the dirty work on the final defensive sequence, stealing the ball from the hosts as they tried to inbound it from the sideline.
Just like that, Reggiana erased the bitter taste of the blowout defeat to Tenerife last week, they are up to 1-1 with a road win to their name, something which could be crucial in the battle for the Quarter-Finals.
Cheatham Jr had 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, and he also grabbed 7 rebounds. Smith finished with 14, while Kenneth Faried flirted with a double-double at 10 points and 8 boards.
Bryson Williams had a monster game for the hosts, but his 27 points go to waste as Petkimspor drop to 0-2.