This Is Basketball

Adama Sanogo's 28 points on 9-of-11 shooting lifted Hapoel Holon to a 86–84 road win over KK Spartak Subotica in Group F of the Basketball Champions League. The 34-minute performance included 5 blocks and a 3-of-5 night from three-point range, keeping Holon ahead through a final stretch that hinged on possession and discipline. Holon's margin of victory was thin—a two-point decision on hostile ground—and Sanogo's efficiency from the floor (81.8 percent) was the margin that made it. He added 7 makes from 9 free throws. Four turnovers and four fouls showed the cost of a high-usage night, and he did not factor into playmaking or rebounding, but his shot-making was exact when it mattered. Spartak pushed hard in the second half but could not close the gap. Sanogo's scoring kept Holon just clear, a performance that will travel well when Group F play resumes.

Martin Krampelj finished with 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting in just 17 minutes as Bilbao Basket dispatched Cez Nymburk 97–86 at home in Group G of the Basketball Champions League. The Slovenian guard was clinical from the floor, including 2-of-4 from three, and made all seven of his free throws while committing no turnovers. Krampelj's efficiency — a near-perfect night in limited minutes — proved decisive in a game where Bilbao's depth and execution in the second half wore down a Nymburk side that couldn't sustain early momentum. An 11-point margin doesn't fully capture how controlled the home side's win felt once they established their rhythm. For Krampelj, it was a reminder of what he can do when given minutes: high-volume scoring with a clean handle and touch from range and the line. Nymburk's defence had no answer for his shooting touch.

Ante Zizic finished with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists across 20 minutes, shooting 6/9 from the field and 5/6 from the free-throw line — yet Besiktas Jk Istanbul could not contain Hapoel Ibi Tel Aviv, falling 82–100 on the road. The Croatian big man was efficient with his touches, converting nearly all of what he attempted. His four assists suggested he was moving the ball and finding rhythm in the short floor, while his nine boards meant he competed on the glass. But it was not enough to slow a 18-point defeat. Hapoel's control of the game left Zizic without enough support around him. When one player's efficiency cannot swing the margin that wide, the team's collective performance has already ceded ground. Besiktas will need a different answer next time.

Akwasi Yeboah turned in 22 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals on 7-of-11 shooting in 28 minutes as Trabzonspor overpowered Sabah BC 100–83 in Group A of the Basketball Champions League. The forward's efficiency was the difference. He connected on four of seven three-pointers and made all four of his free throws when called upon, never fouling out and ceding just one turnover across his time on court. Sabah had no answer for his scoring rhythm in the opening half, and by the time the visitors adjusted, the 17-point margin had already taken hold. Yeboah's night encapsulated Trabzonspor's control. The hosts built their lead methodically rather than in spurts, and held it throughout. For Sabah, the road trip to Turkey yielded little — they arrived as visitors in a tough spot and left having found few moments to stem the flow.

Jean Montero finished with 26 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 31 minutes as Olympiacos Piraeus edged Power Electronics Valencia 102–97 on the road. The guard's efficiency — 8 of 12 from the floor, 9 of 10 at the line — proved the difference in a five-point win that turned on execution down the stretch. Valencia stayed competitive throughout, but Montero's 67% overall shooting and 90% free-throw accuracy gave Olympiacos the offensive consistency it needed to close. He went 1 of 3 from three, turning the bulk of his scoring into high-percentage looks inside the arc and at the line. The five-point margin masked how close this remained: Olympiacos's depth and Montero's clean shot selection — just three turnovers across 31 minutes — steadied a road performance that easily could have slipped away in the final minutes.

Mfiondu Kabengele was the highest-rated performer in Dubai Basketball's 93–79 win over Baskonia, posting 16 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 turnover across 20 minutes. He shot 6 of 11 from the field, including 1 of 3 from three, and was perfect from the free-throw line at 3 of 3. The 14-point margin reflected a controlled road performance, and Kabengele's work on both ends — particularly his rebound haul in limited minutes — anchored the differential. His efficiency (54.5% overall, 100% at the stripe) against Baskonia's interior defence underlined why he was decisive when it mattered most.

Yam Madar's 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting couldn't get Maccabi Tel Aviv over the line in Barcelona. The guard buried 3 three-pointers in 27 minutes and added 4 assists and 3 rebounds, nearly all of it efficient work — he turned it over just once and drew only one foul. In a three-point defeat, that's exactly the kind of individual firepower a visiting team needs to steal a result. It wasn't enough against FC Barcelona's defence down the stretch, but Madar's 73 percent field-goal accuracy and calm orchestration in the backcourt kept Maccabi Tel Aviv within reach until the final whistle.

Andres Feliz turned in 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in just 19 minutes as Real Madrid held off Olimpia Milano 98–89 on the road. The Madrid guard's efficiency was the difference: 6 of 9 from the field, including 2 of 2 at the line, with only two turnovers across his limited floor time. That shooting clarity kept Real Madrid ahead when Milano threatened to close the gap in the second half. Feliz's ball movement — five assists to match his scoring — also helped orchestrate the spacing that allowed Real Madrid to absorb Milano's pressure without panic. A nine-point win in an EuroLeague regular-season road game often hinges on bench depth and guard play. Feliz provided both in concentrated doses, leaving the floor to a clear Madrid advantage that held through the final quarter.

Mathias Lessort's 4 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists steered Panathinaikos to a 72–55 road win over Partizan BC, a 17-point margin that underlined the visitors' control of the paint and the boards. Lessort worked in 21 minutes without a field-goal attempt beyond the arc and without reaching the free-throw line. What mattered was the floor game: nine rebounds and four assists in a performance built on positioning and decision-making rather than volume scoring. Three steals added a defensive spine to a quiet but functional night. The 17-point gap reflected Panathinaikos' authority. Lessort's interior presence and willingness to move the ball — zero turnovers against one — epitomised a team that stayed disciplined in a low-scoring, low-error contest.

Will Carius picked the lock on a tight one. The Peristeri guard finished 18 points on 75% shooting (6-of-8 overall, 4-of-6 from three) in 22 minutes, without a turnover, as Peristeri stole a 85–82 win away at Varese in Group D. Carius's efficiency in the corners and off the catch made the difference in a game decided by possession discipline—zero turnovers on the night proved rare currency in a three-point affair. He added 4 steals, proof that his intensity ran both directions; the shooting splits (especially that three-point rate) show why a visitor holding a one-digit margin on the road, late in a balanced group stage, needed exactly this kind of sparing, accurate contribution. Varese had their chances and nearly forced overtime. Carius simply did not waste his.

Shavon Shields made every touch count. The Fenerbahce Ulker wing finished with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting in just 21 minutes, draining 2 of 5 attempts from three and converting all three free throws without a turnover — a clinic in efficient offensive play. Fenerbahce controlled the game throughout, finishing the night 99–80 over Zalgiris Kaunas in a decisive 19-point win at home. Shields' hot hand and clean decision-making fit the pattern: when the home side established early rhythm, there was little Zalgiris could do to slow the pace or disrupt the flow. For Shields, it was a statement of precision over volume — the kind of outing that wins EuroLeague games without needing to hog possessions.

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Colbey Ross poured in 25 points on 7-of-14 shooting and converted all 11 of his free throws, yet Trieste still fell 85–84 to Varese — a one-point defeat that underlined how individual brilliance can coexist with collective shortfall. The guard's 8 assists and 3 steals across 31 minutes kept Trieste competitive throughout, and his 11-for-11 night from the line demonstrated clinical execution in the moments that mattered most. But a 0-for-5 showing from three-point range and just 1 rebound illustrated the ceiling of what one player can achieve when the supporting cast falters. For Varese, the one-point margin spoke to a team that found just enough in a road contest to avoid being overwhelmed by Ross's individual performance.

Jordan Walker, Basketball Champions League, 19 Mar 2025 — Fitness First Würzburg Baskets 115-119 Promitheas Patras BC. The highest-scoring game by any player in our record of Europe's top competitions. You can open it: the full box score of that night, both teams, every player, and where it sits in his career. A number like this only exists if somebody kept every season. We did.

Thomas Kennedy made the most of 29 minutes for London Lions, posting 26 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists on a near-flawless 12-of-13 shooting from the field. He did not attempt a three-pointer and went 2-of-2 from the line, finishing with zero turnovers and zero steals or blocks. London Lions won 89–77 at home, a 12-point margin built on the kind of efficient interior presence Kennedy provided. Iberostar Tenerife competed but could not find an answer to his rhythm in the paint, where he operated with the kind of touch that made even difficult looks fall. The performance underscores why Kennedy's availability and form matter to London's depth in this competition. One night of clinical shooting does not sustain a run, but it sets a tone — and on this occasion, it was the difference.

Chris Duarte carried Baskonia's scoring load in a 92–84 home loss to Besiktas, finishing with 23 points on an efficient 15-of-15 from the free-throw line. The Colombian guard found his rhythm at the stripe even as his two-point range stalled—he made just three of seven field goals overall, including two of four threes—and it was not enough to prevent the eight-point defeat. Duarte's 26 minutes yielded 5 rebounds and 2 steals to go with his scoring, a line that reflected Baskonia's desperation to close a gap that grew throughout the contest. The hosts could not manufacture enough support around him; the free throws kept pace, but the baseline efficiency gap told the story. Besiktas' depth proved decisive where a single high-volume scorer, however hot from the line, could not. A strong individual effort in a losing effort—the mark of a night where one player's execution, however sharp, ran into the wall of a team that could not match their opponent's collective output.

Carsen Edwards steered Zalgiris Kaunas to a 88–81 road win over FC Barcelona, finishing with 19 points, 7 assists and 2 rebounds across 27 minutes. He shot 6 of 13 from the field, with four three-pointers made on eight attempts, and ran a perfect 3 for 3 from the line. The American guard's playmaking — seven dimes against three turnovers — kept Zalgiris' offence moving when Barcelona's defence tightened. His accuracy from deep, especially down the stretch, created enough separation for the visitors to hold on in a low-scoring affair. Edwards was efficient with his minutes and made his looks count when it mattered. Barcelona fought hard but couldn't close the gap on the road. Zalgiris' balance and Edwards composure in the final period proved decisive in a contest where both teams prioritised defence and forced mistakes.

Jean Montero put Olympiacos Piraeus on his shoulders in the first half and held firm as the hosts dismantled Efes Pilsen Istanbul 89–66. The guard finished with 16 points on 5-of-14 shooting, including 2-of-7 from three, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 27 minutes — a lopsided efficiency rating that reflected both his aggression and a Piraeus offense that found its rhythm early. What stood out: Montero's 4-of-4 night from the free-throw line. Efes's perimeter defense fractured in stretches, and when Montero attacked the gap, he punished it. Two steals and a pair of blocks underscore a player who defended with intent on a night when Piraeus's length suffocated Istanbul's shot creation. The 23-point margin tells the real story — Montero performed well in a performance-friendly blowout, one where Efes could never find traction.

Every league on This Is Basketball has its standings — records, ranking, form — and leaderboards for points, rebounds, assists and TIB Efficiency, for this season and the ones before it.

Wilbekin carries the edge into this one. The Besiktas Jk Istanbul guard is running at 48.8 TIB EFF through recent weeks, averaging 16.3 points and 3.7 assists per game — a step above the rhythm he established in earlier stretches of the season. Sedekerskis has been a steadier presence for Baskonia, posting 44.6 TIB EFF with 10.8 points and 1.2 assists, but the gap in playmaking and scoring volume tilts toward the visitor's floor general. Wilbekin's uptick in creation — moving the ball at a rate that outpaces his counterpart by a wide margin — will be central to how Besiktas Jk Istanbul tries to stretch Baskonia's defense. If Sedekerskis can tighten on the catch and force the ball out of Wilbekin's hands, Baskonia has a chance to disrupt the rhythm. If not, Istanbul's offensive tempo could overwhelm a Baskonia squad that will need more than one scorer to stay level. Tip-off in under three hours. Stream it live.