By Eurohoops team | info@eurohoops.net
Back-to-back Basketball Champions League (BCL) champions Unicaja are back, and they immediately showed their power in the 2025/26 Regular Season opener.
Defending BCL champions Unicaja secured a resounding 97-66 home win over Mersin Sports Club. Xavier Castaneda led the way with 17 points, while Kendrick Perry contributed 14. Tyler Kalinoski and Chris Duarte added 12 points each, and Tyson Perez along with Nihad Djedovic chipped in 10 points apiece.
Unicaja had 11 players on the scoring sheet and shot an impressive 18-of-34 from beyond the arc, showcasing their offensive firepower.
On the other side, Anthony Cowan stood out for Mersin with 17 points and four assists, being the only player to finish in double figures. Ben Bentil also contributed nine points for the visitors.
Unicaja dominated from the very start, winning the opening quarter 22-11 and extending their lead to 51-31 by halftime. By the end of the third quarter, the Malaga team held a commanding 23-point advantage, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Nonetheless, Ibon Navarro’s side continued to push until the final buzzer, finishing the game on a high note despite the wide margin.
Postgame press conference: [Insert postgame quotes or summary here]
https://www.eurohoops.net/en/fiba-champions-league/1877904/defending-bcl-champs-unicaja-dominate-mersin/
