By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The first day of the 2024/25 Basketball Champions League season brought plenty of excitement, including the first match that couldn’t be decided in 40 minutes.
UCAM Murcia and Manisa went to overtime, and the Turkish side prevailed after the added five minutes, winning 97-103.
Dylan Ennis had a chance to be the hero for the hosts but missed the second free throw with two seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter. Moussa Diagne attempted to fix it after grabbing the offensive rebound, but he couldn’t convert.
In the extra five minutes, Saben Lee and Javon Freeman-Liberty took over, leading Manisa to its first victory.
Lee finished the game with impressive numbers: 36 points, six rebounds, and six assists for a PIR of 38. Freeman-Liberty followed with 22 points, while Hugo Besson added 16, and Martynas Echodas contributed 11 points.
On the other side, Dylan Ennis had 23 points, Vladimir Brodziansky scored 13, while Jonah Radebaugh and Ludvig Håkanson added 10 each.
Debutants impressed
Not only was this Manisa’s first BCL game ever, but it was also the first European game for Saben Lee and Javon Freeman-Liberty, and they delivered.
“Good game, especially for our first game. We went down late in the fourth, came back, so I’m just proud of the guys for being able to get a win with a lot of adversity,” said former Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns guard, 25-year-old Saben Lee.
Postgame press conference: