ATHENS (Greece) - Back in 1970, AEK BC and Asisa Joventut were drawn together in the Quarter-Finals, fighting for a spot in the Semi-Finals of the FIBA European Cup Winners Cup.
Joventut surely thought they had the job done with an 87-68 win in Game 1 in Spain.
However, Game 2 was delayed by a day due to heavy rainfall in Athens, and when the teams took on the outdoor court of the Kallimarmaro Stadium 24 hours later on February 20, 1970, AEK's thunderous fans carried them to a 74-46 win.
The official report notes that there were approximately 25,000 spectators in the stadium in Athens, while unofficial reports claim there were at least 40,000 fans present for Game 2.
Afterwards, AEK lost to JA Vichy in the Semi-Finals, while Fides Napoli took the crown.
Now, in 2026, AEK and Joventut get a bit of history repeating as they are once again matched up in Quarter-Finals of an international competition - the Basketball Champions League, powered by Ameresco SUNEL.
How did they get here?
Coming off a stellar 2024-25 season, which culminated with the 3rd place at the BCL Final Four played in front of their beloved fans in Athens, AEK underwent a renovation that could have affected the team's ambition.
Instead, they went back to it and almost pulled off a perfect season. If it weren't for their 80-69 road defeat to NHSZ-Szolnoki Olajbanyasz, they would have entered the Quarter-Finals on a 12-0 second-to-none trajectory.
Joventut's start of the season didn't leave anybody unaware of their ambition and actual capacities. They were perfect until February 10, approaching Season X on a 9-0 unbeaten streak.
Nobody in the history of the BCL had ever done anything like it as a competition newcomer.
However, their recent road defeats to Elan Chalon (85-77) and Unicaja (86-74) left a bitter taste, as they lost the home-court advantage in the Quarter-Finals.
Have they been here before?
Since joining the competition in the inaugural season, AEK have reached the Quarter-Finals five times (2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2022-23, and 2024-25) before Season X. They won the series to reach the Final Four three times, and picked up the trophy in 2018.
While the black-and-yellow Greek powerhouse are one of the most experienced when it comes to getting to the intense stage of the season in the BCL, Joventut are absolute debutants in the Quarter-Finals.
What worked well?
Well? It worked perfectly for AEK, as numbers prove: just one loss in the whole 2025-26 season, unbeaten in the BCL Round of 16. Stats are nice, but records speak louder.
Moreover, among the teams that made it to the Round of 16, only ALBA BERLIN have collected more steals per game (9.6) than AEK (8.8).
Both the Greek contender and the Spanish standout are shooting 47.8 percent from the field. They are tied only behind Unicaja (48.4%) and Hapoel Netanel Holon (48.1%) among the Round of 16 teams.
Another noteworthy stat is related to Joventut's ability to share the ball - they are 3rd among BCL teams for assists per game (22.3), behind ALBA (22.6) and Unicaja (22.8). Having a mastermind like Ricky Rubio around helps.
Key matchup
Being the heart and soul of a team isn't easy. Being it while also delivering numbers-wise makes it even more difficult. Being it while contributing to your team's 11-1 run in the whole season is extremely challenging.
First among the players qualified for the Quarter-Finals in terms of average efficiency (18.7), RaiQuan Gray has been posting up 13.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per encounter, with AEK being a +138 team with him on the court this season. All-round dominance.
He's one of the candidates for the MVP of the Season who has brought over from the 2024-25 campaign the experience already gained in Athens. There's no AEK without Gray, at the moment. And vice versa.
From an established star in the BCL to a recent newcomer who has already shown why his addition is crucial for Joventut: in just a couple of games, Jabari Parker has proven to be a fantastic mid-season signing.
Averaging 18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds for the black-and-green contenders against Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets and Unicaja, he completes Daniel Miret's team's rotations perfectly.
If the team from Badalona was already competitive before his return to Spain, the No.2 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft has pushed Joventut to a different level. Grab your popcorn for this matchup.
X Factors
Everybody was hyped about having two absolute stars like Ricky Rubio and Ante Tomic around in Badalona, finally playing in the BCL. But there's another player who has performed at the highest level for Joventut.
It's the case of Cameron Hunt, who has not only delivered clutch performances with game-winning plays against Cholet Basket, Hapoel Netanel Holon and Wurzburg, but has been consistent at 13.4 points per game.
Obviously, a huge boost to Joventut's ambition has been given by the two European legends mentioned earlier.
Ricky Rubio (13.2 points and 5.8 assists) and Ante Tomic (9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists) are the veterans who everybody would like to have in their locker room.
Yes, we have mentioned RaiQuan Gray as a contender for MVP of the Season. But there's another protagonist for AEK who aims for the same title, rightfully so: Frank Bartley IV has been lethal in Season X.
Second-best scorer of the season among players who will compete in the Quarter Finals at 18.8 points per game - just behind Jerrick Harding (19.0) and tied with Errick McCollum -, he might be an X-Factor against Joventut, too.
We'd like to mention two other names who have been significantly helpful for AEK, bringing high-level experience from their resumes: Lukas Lekavicius (10.3 points over 44.7% from the perimeter) and James Nunnally (12.8 points over 55.6% from beyond the arc), who joined during the season.
How are they doing recently?
TEAM | LAST 10 GAMES | DOMESTIC RECORD |
|---|---|---|
AEK BC | 8-2 in all competitions | 15-5 (3rd) in the Greek League |
Asisa Joventut | 7-3 in all competitions | 15-8 (6th) in the Spanish League |