Murcia and Unicaja remain undefeated, while Galatasaray and AEK are still awaiting their first win
0![Murcia and Unicaja remain undefeated, while Galatasaray and AEK are still awaiting their first win Murcia-AEK](https://basketballsphere.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Murcia-AEK.jpeg)
Photo: FIBA Champions League
Murcia secured their third win in the Top 16 phase of the FIBA Champions League after defeating AEK on the road by 84:79.
Before this game, Murcia had a record of 2-0, while the Athens-based club had suffered two defeats. Therefore, this was a crucial game for the Greek club.
We witnessed a close contest in the first quarter, characterized by a high scoring rate, with neither team leading by more than 4 points. However, the visiting team could have been somewhat satisfied as they won the first quarter 27:25. A similar situation unfolded in the second quarter, which the visiting team also won 15:14, resulting in a halftime score of 42:39 for Murcia.
Ilias Zouros‘ team managed to overturn the deficit early in the third quarter, taking a 50:47 lead. The Spanish team responded with a 9:0 run, which perhaps proved crucial for the game. AEK briefly took the lead in the opening minute of the final quarter, but that was the end of their momentum. Sito Alonso’s team stepped up their game, led by the impressive performance of Marko Todorovic, securing their third win.
Marko Todorovic was the top scorer for the Spanish team with 21 points, supported by Dylan Ennis and Howard Sant-Roos, each contributing 11 points. Dustin Sleva added 10 points. For AEK, Jordan McRae led the scoring with 20 points, while Chasson Randle and Giannis Kouzeloglou scored 12 points each.
In terms of the FIBA Champions League and the Top 16 phase, Murcia leads the group with 3 wins in as many games, while the Greek team finds themselves in a difficult situation with 3 losses.
In the next round, AEK will host Hapoel Holon, while Murcia will again travel to Greece, this time to face Promitheas.
Unicaja secured a comfortable win against Strasbourg on the road, winning 79:70. The French team had a slightly better start to the match, winning the first quarter 21:20.
However, Unicaja managed to elevate their game in the second quarter, outscoring their opponents 20-13, and went into halftime with a 6-point lead (40:36).
The visiting team won the third quarter, extending their lead to +9, and maintained their advantage comfortably until the end of the game. Kendrick Perry led the winning team with 15 points, followed by Dylan Osetkowski and Kameron Taylor with 13 points each. Tyrus McGee was the top scorer for Strasbourg with 21 points.
This win marks the third consecutive win for the Spanish team, while Strasbourg is yet to secure a win. In the next round, these rivals will meet again, but this time Unicaja will be the host.
Ludwigsburg secured a convincing 100:80 win against Galatasaray at home, earning their second win. The Turkish team is still seeking their first win. Jayvon Graves led the German team with 23 points, supported by Silas Melson with 18 points. David McCormack was the top scorer for Galatasaray with 14 points.
Promitheas defeated Hapoel Holon 74:65 on the road, taking a significant step towards advancing to the next round. Anthony Cowan led Promitheas with 18 points, while Hunter Hale also performed well, contributing 16 points. Netanel Artzi and Shawn Dawson both scored 18 points for the defeated team.