The Basketball Champions League (BCL) final will not feature a Spanish team this year. Unicaja Malaga, the reigning champions for the past two seasons, were defeated by AEK Athens with a score of 65-78, ending their pursuit of a third consecutive title.
Malaga struggled offensively, exhibiting poor shooting accuracy with only 23 successful field goals out of 64 attempts. Despite his efforts, Killian Tillie contributed 7 points to the team’s tally.
In the other semifinal match, Tenerife was convincingly beaten by Rytas Vilnius, with a final score of 87-69. Rytas Vilnius was propelled by strong performances from Jerrick Harding, who scored 29 points, and former Limoges player Speedy Smith, who added 12 points.
Veteran Brazilian player Marcelinho Huertas, at 42 years old, put up a valiant effort with 21 points and 6 assists, but it wasn’t enough to lead his team to the final.