By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Spreading action across Europe, as usual, the Basketball Champions League opened the 2023-24 Regular Season with plenty of exciting games and individual achievements.
Icelandic guard Elvar Mar Fridriksson stood out in the 14-game schedule. Combining 19 points with 11 rebounds and 10 assists, he tallied the third triple-double in BCL history, apart from starring for PAOK mateco in a stunning performance at Sinan Erdem Dome at the expense of Galatasaray Ekmas. Elsewhere, Sasu Salin tucked in eight three-pointers as Lenovo Tenerife stormed back from a 19-point deficit against Cholet.
Reaching the milestone of 70 games played in the Champions League, AEK Betsson went on a 8-0 finishing run to knock down MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. From the 70th to the first appearance, King Wilki Morskie Szczecin, Rio Breogan, and Bertram Derthona Tortona all enjoyed wins in their debuts.
Perhaps the most important win of Gameday 1 belonged to SIG Strasbourg. The French side got the job done on the road opposite EWE Baskets Oldenburg in one of the two games of the week decided after five extra minutes. Tofas notched the second overtime win by edging out Igokea m:tel in Laktasi.
Basketball Champions League Regular Season standings and Week 1 results
Group A
Le Mans – Peristeri bwin 96-68
Falco Vulcano Szombathely – Unicaja 78-87
Standings
1. Le Mans 2 (1-0)
2. Unicaja 2 (1-0)
3. Falco Vulcano Szombathely 1 (0-1)
4. Peristeri bwin 1 (0-1)
Group B
Promitheas – Opava 115-66
JDA Dijon – Rytas 87-83
Standings
1. Promitheas 2 (1-0)
2. JDA Dijon 2 (1-0)
3. Rytas 1 (0-1)
4. Opava 1 (0-1)
Group C
VEF Riga – Darussafaka Lassa 75-84
Lenovo Tenerife – Cholet 95-75
Standings
1. Lenovo Tenerife 2 (1-0)
2. Darussafaka Lassa 2 (1-0)
3. VEF Riga 1 (0-1)
4. Cholet 1 (0-1)
Group D
AEK Betsson – MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg 84-79
King Wilki Morskie Szczecin – Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari 93-85
Standings
1. King Wilki Morskie Szczecin 2 (1-0)
2. AEK Betsson 2 (1-0)
3. MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg 1 (0-1)
4. Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari 1 (0-1)
Group E
Pinar Karsiyaka – Filou Oostende 94-77
EWE Baskets Oldenburg – SIG Strasbourg 83-85 OT (75-75)
Standings
1. Pinar Karsiyaka 2 (1-0)
2. SIG Strasbourg 2 (1-0)
3. EWE Baskets Oldenburg 1 (0-1)
4. Filou Oostende 1 (0-1)
Group F
Rio Breogan – Bursaspor Info Yatirim 68-48
Telekom Baskets Bonn – Hapoel Holon (1/11)
Standings
1. Rio Breogan 2 (1-0)
2. Bursaspor Info Yatirim 1 (0-1)
3. Hapoel Holon 0 (0-0)
4. Telekom Baskets Bonn 0 (0-0)
Group G
Galatasaray Ekmas – PAOK mateco 77-88
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem – Benfica (17/10)
Standings
1. PAOK mateco 2 (1-0)
2. Galatasaray Ekmas 1 (0-1)
3. Benfica 0 (0-0)
4. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 0 (0-0)
Group H
Igokea m:tel – Tofas 102-104 OT (91-91)
Bertram Derthona Tortona – UCAM Murcia 78-74
Standings
1. Bertram Derthona Tortona 2 (1-0)
2. Tofas 2 (1-0)
3. Igokea m:tel 1 (0-1)
4. UCAM Murcia 1 (0-1)
-The top team of each group advances directly to the Round of 16
-Team ranking second and third move to the Play-Ins