MIES (Switzerland) - We had to wait a whole summer for the spectacle provided by the Basketball Champions League, powered by Ameresco SUNEL, to come back. And what a way to come back.
The first Tuesday of action in the competition had four games featuring everything: drama, historic venues, intense atmospheres, enjoying basketball, and a lot more. Stay with us to find out what happened.
Three-point historic party in Cibona
Nine years and nine months have passed since Cibona last played in the BCL. Alongside Itelyum Varese, which return on Wednesday facing UCAM Murcia, it's the longest gap between two participations of any team.
But that drought feels like a blink of an eye when thinking about the last time the Croatian side had such an historic night against Galatasaray MCT Technic.
Back in the 1985-86 FIBA European Champions Cup, they beat the Turkish powerhouse in two fixtures in the Round of 16, starting their journey to a fantastic golden triumph.
On Tuesday, Zagreb's side had one of those unforgettable nights in Drazen Petrovic Basketball Center, upsetting Group B's favorite, Galatasaray. They won 96-76 with an absolute three-point party.
The basket felt like an Olympic pool for the Croatian powerhouse, which ended with a crazy 60.9 percent from beyond the arc, shooting 14-of-23. Among others, two players stole the show in front of an intense crowd.
Moving to Zagreb during the summer, Khalif Battle wanted to make sure he could feel the historic vibe of the arena he's about to light up for the whole season.
He concluded with 32 points and 5 assists, shooting 6-of-7 from three. He was automatic, just like captain Roko Badzim: he had 19 points on 5-of-6 from deep off the bench.
"I think we needed this, not just for the rankings, but also for the confidence of our team," Battle said.
Gianmarco Pozzecco's team remain the favorite in Group B, but they must use this defeat to boost their fighting spirit. Coming off the bench, Alen Smailagic flirted with a double-double at 13 points and 9 rebounds.
Thrilling win for the Champs in Vilnius
Looking at how the B Tribuna welcomed the reigning BCL Champions in Vilnius, everybody was hyped enough about a statement win to forget about the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2026 and start the season strong.
However, it wasn't as easy as one would have expected for Rytas Vilnius in their opening game of Season 11 against Sabah BC, appearing in back-to-back fashion.
They eventually prevailed 82-73, surviving late.
The team from Azerbaijan, observed from the stands by their former coach, Rimas Kurtinaitis, was leading (69-67) with just six minutes to go in Vilnius Arena. That's when the heart of the Champions emerged.
A 12-0 run gave Rytas some relief down the line, with local heroes Augustas Marciulonis (22 points) and Gytis Radzevicius (21 points and 12 rebounds) taking the spotlight. It's a learning experience they won't forget.
For the guests, Nick Perkins also had a double-double, finishing at 16 points and 11 boards.
Peristeri vs. Bamberg, or the battle of collective efforts
Individual performances are important in basketball, that's for sure. If Cibona didn't have that kind of game by Khalif Battle, things would have unfolded differently, for example. But collective efforts are crucial.
Between Peristeri Betsson and BMA365 Bamberg Baskets, only one player (Peristeri's John Ittounas) didn't score a single basket while being on the court.
This not only speaks of the two teams' depth, but also of how competitive this matchup was. It was competitive and intense, with the Greeks emerging victorious 93-87 at home.
The German team, which is returning to the BCL Regular Season after six campaigns, gave their all to have this matchup decided down the line.
They were down by 22 points (64-42) midway through the third, and came back all the way to lead 82-77 with four minutes to go in the final stanza.
Jalen Finch (21 points and 4 assists) and Alexandros Nikolaidis had two huge three-pointers for Peristeri, which got the job done in the end. Ty Nichols added 20 for the winning side.
Cholet Basket, c'est magnifique
In 2025-26, Hapoel Maoz Daniel Holon and Cholet Basket put up some of the most competitive matchups in the whole BCL Regular Season. On Tuesday, the French team made an impressive statement.
Bringing on the court every player available on Cholet's roster, Fabrice Lefrançois' squad dominated against the purple-and-yellow side and won by 20 points (99-79). It's their first Opening Round win in four BCL seasons.
Right now, we’ve got high confidence. It’s at 100%. We’re gonna continue to work and keep building on this victory.
Zagreb wasn't the only city where one team prevailed on Tuesday with a marvelous shooting performance from outside the arc, as Cholet scored 13-of-28 from deep. Mohamed Diarra converted 5-of-8 for 23 points.
Despite the result, Holon can be confident about the fact that Adama Sanogo will continue being a dominator in all of Europe. He had a losing effort of 22 points and 13 rebounds.
Bear it in mind for the BCL Fantasy.