AEK

Nijel Pack ran the floor like Windrose Giants Antwerp's entire playbook fit in his hands. Twenty points on 7-of-9 shooting—five of six from three—plus four assists in just 22 minutes: Pack's efficiency was the cleanest lens on a lopsided Group C night in Athens. The Giants dismantled Aek 103–76, a 27-point margin that felt wider than the court itself. Pack's work was done before the lights came down. He didn't need to fight for boards (1 rebound) or hunt steals; the damage was already done by the time Aek's defense could reset. A 1-of-1 night at the line and two turnovers underlined how little margin for error existed—he didn't need a second chance. This was Antwerp's statement in a competition where depth matters more than one hot quarter. Pack's night said they have the guns to go deep.

First game for Aek: Thomas Heurtel against Salon Vilpas — 9 PTS · 2 REB · 6 AST in 16 minutes. Last appearance for Asvel Lyon was 2026-04-16. https://www.thisisbasketball.eu/players/fiba-senior-player-164136

Frank Bartley carried Aek through a two-point finish against Salon Vilpas in Group C play, scoring 27 points on 8-for-17 shooting while adding four rebounds and a steal across 30 minutes. He was clinical from the free-throw line, converting all eight attempts, though his three-point range proved inconsistent at 3-for-8. The margin was slim — Aek edged past Salon Vilpas 95–93 — and Bartley's efficiency in the paint and at the stripe proved the difference in a tightly contested affair. One turnover and two fouls marked the only blemishes on an otherwise composed showing in a game that required precision rather than volume.

Leland Walker has been running at a different tempo. The Salon Vilpas guard is averaging 34.7 points per game in recent form, carrying a 86.2 TIB Efficiency rating that sits well clear of most company in this competition. He arrives with a scoring load that will demand Aek's full attention the moment tipoff comes. Frank Bartley remains the counterweight. In the 2025-'26 campaign, the Aek wing posted 18.5 points and 3.5 assists per game on a 56.4 efficiency mark — a respectable floor, though the gap between his output and Walker's current pace is wide enough to shape how this one unfolds. The real test will be whether Aek can manufacture stops or force Walker into a rhythm he does not control. Salon Vilpas have built their run on that one-man surge. Aek will need more distributed scoring and defensive discipline to weather it. Tipoff is close.