
Basketball Champions League (2025-2026)
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Basketball Champions League 2025-26
Basketball Champions League Final: Rytas - AEK Betsson 92-86 Rytas (Giedrius Zibenas): Lukosius Simonas 23, Harding Jerrick 16, Smith Kenneth 11, Bruhnke Kay 10, Gudaitis Arturas 9, Masiulis Gytis 8, Caroline Jordan 4, Sargiunas Ignas 4, Marciulionis Augustas 4, Paliukenas Martynas 2, Echodas Martynas 1 Basketball Champions League Standings 2025-26
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Group I
Group J
Group K
Group L
- qualified to the play-offs ↑ - newly prompted Stats Leaders 2025-26
PPG
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
![]() Rytas Basketball Champions League Final ![]() Rytas erase 20-point deficit to stun AEK for BCL crown (Photo: FIBA)
Left: Georgios Dedas (coach Filou Oostende)
Average Height: 198.0 cm (6'6.0'')
Average Age: 26.6
Lukosius goes nuclear from deep as Rytas erase 20-point deficit to stun AEK for BCL crown-May 9, 2026
Rytas Vilnius produced the greatest comeback in Basketball Champions League history on Saturday, overturning a 20-point deficit to beat AEK 92-86 in overtime in front of 10,372 fans at the Palau Municipal d'Esports and become the first Lithuanian club to lift the BCL trophy. Simonas Lukosius (202-G/F-2002, college: Cincinnati) scoreless in Friday's semifinal win over Tenerife was unconscious in the final, drilling seven three-pointers on 7-of-10 shooting for 23 points to earn Final Four MVP honours. His seven triples set a new BCL Finals record. The 23-year-old guard's heroics were needed to dig Rytas out of an enormous hole. AEK controlled the first 30 minutes with suffocating intensity, leading 42-25 at halftime the largest halftime margin in BCL Finals history and stretching the advantage to 55-35 in the third quarter. The Greek side held the lead for 38 minutes and 27 seconds of the 45-minute contest. They had been 27-0 in BCL games when leading by 20 or more. Then the fourth quarter happened. Rytas unleashed a 35-17 blitz tying the record for the highest-scoring quarter in a BCL Final, set by San Pablo Burgos against these same AEK in 2020 to claw all the way back to 80-80 at the end of regulation, capped by a Lukosius dagger that forced overtime. In the extra period, captain Arturas Gudaitis (211-C-1993) scored five straight points to seize the lead before Lukosius buried yet another three to make it 88-80. AEK had nothing left. Jerrick Harding (185-PG-1998, college: Weber St.), who had carried Rytas past La Laguna Tenerife with 29 points in Friday's semifinal, added 16 points and six assists in the final. Kay Bruhnke (204-PF-2001) contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds. For AEK, James Nunnally (201-SF-1990, college: UCSB) scored 23 points (9-of-9 FT) and Season MVP Frank Bartley IV (191-G-1994, college: Louisiana) had 20, but neither could prevent the Greek club from losing their second BCL Final after also falling to Burgos in 2020. "I feel amazing. I can't say what happened because I still have to figure it out myself," Lukosius said. Harding was more direct: "We came back from minus-20. It's unheard of. This is the definition of what this team is." AEK coach Dragan Sakota was gracious: "I have to congratulate Rytas. In basketball, you have to play 40 minutes. Sometimes 45. They did it better than us in the end." In the third-place game earlier Saturday, Unicaja edged La Laguna Tenerife 85-80 in a seesaw battle featuring 13 ties and 17 lead changes to claim their third consecutive BCL medal gold in 2024 and 2025, bronze in 2026. Chase Audige (193-G-1999, college: Northwestern, agency: Octagon Europe) was named Player of the Game with a season-high 15 points while helping contain Tenerife's Patty Mills (188-G-1988, college: SMC), who still managed a game-high 23 points on five three-pointers tying the third-place game record. Killian Tillie (208-F-1998, college: Gonzaga) added 13 points, Tyler Kalinoski (193-SG-1992, college: Davidson) had 12, and Aleksander Balcerowski (217-C-2000) contributed 11 with a crucial late block on Fran Guerra (214-C-1992) that helped seal the win. James Webb III (205-PF-1993, college: Boise St.)'s three-pointer in the final minute gave Unicaja a two-possession cushion they would not relinquish. Giorgi Shermadini (216-C-1989, agency: Octagon Europe) (14) and Jaime Fernandez (186-PG-1993) (13) supported Mills for Tenerife, who rested veteran Marcelinho Huertas (191-PG-1983). Eurobasket.com All-Basketball Champions League Awards 2026-May 11, 2026
![]() Frank Bartley IV, American guard finalist team AEK BC Athens from Greece, was honored as the Player of the Year at the Stoiximan Basketball League.
He graduated from the Louisiana eight years ago.
Bartley IV received multiple other awards, earned the Defensive Player of the Year, Import Player of the Year, Guard of the Year, and was named to the First Team, Imports Team and Defensive Team.
With Bartley IV's outstanding performance, the finalist team AEK BC Athens achieved the best record of the season in the league, finishing with an impressive 5 to 1 in the regular season and 6 to 0 in the Round of 16.
His best performance made his team reach the final but they lost against the Rytas 86 to 92.
Bartley IV was the Player of the Week honoree in the league.
He showcased his talent by ranking third in points per game with an average of over 18.
Bartley IV also averaged and over 3 assists per game in the league.
He has totalled 16 games of 20 or more points on the year.
Bartley IV's 30 points against Karditsas were the most he scored in the 25 26 season.
Ricky Rubio, 35-year old point guard Club Joventut Badalona from Spain, picked up the European Player of the Year of Liga Endesa.
He collected multiple other honors, earned a spot in the First Team and was named to Honorable Mention selection.
With Rubio's excellent performance, the Club Joventut Badalona achieved the best record of the season in the league, finishing with an impressive 6 to 0 in the regular season.
Rubio recorded over 13 points and almost 6 assists per game that season in the league.
His 24 points against Bursaspor were the most he scored in the 25 26 season.
RaiQuan Gray, 27-year old American forward AEK BC Athens from Greece, was named the Forward of the Year at the Stoiximan Basketball League.
He Is the Florida State alumni from 2021.
Gray received multiple other awards, was voted to the First Team and Imports Team and Defensive Team.
His best performance made his team reach the final but they lost against the Rytas 86 to 92.
Gray received Player of the Week award in the league.
He registered almost 13 points and 6 rebounds per game over the season in the league.
Gray has totalled 5 games of 20 or more points and had double-doubles in 3 games on the year.
His 25 points against the Maroussi were the most he scored in the 25 26 season.
Giorgi Shermadini, 37-year old Georgian center Tenerife from Spain, was voted the Center of the Year of Liga Endesa.
He collected multiple other honors, was selected to the First Team and earned Honorable Mention.
Shermadini was previously chosen to the First Team three times in the past and Second Team back in 2023.
He averaged over 10 points and almost 6 rebounds per game in the league.
Shermadini has totalled 4 games of 20 or more points and recorded double-doubles in 3 games on the year.
His 28 points against Manresa were the most he scored in the 25 26 season.
The standout American point guard Jerrick Harding was named to the First Team of the championship-winning champion team BC Rytas Vilnius from Lithuania.
He Is ex the Weber State from 2020.
Harding received multiple other awards, earned a spot in the Imports Team and Defensive Team.
His excellent performance assisted his team in beating AEK BC Athens 92 to 86 in the final.
Harding led the LKL in points per game with over 19.
He has totalled 17 games of 20 or more points on the year.
Harding's 30 points against Heidelberg were the most he scored in the 25 26 season.
Among many awards he was selected to the Eurobasket All-Czech Republic League Player of the Year as well as the All-Czech Republic League Import Player of the Year and the All-Czech Republic First Team and the All-Imports Team back in 2022.
Player of the Year: Finals MVP: Defensive Player of the Year: European Player of the Year: Import Player of the Year: Guard of the Year: Forward of the Year: Center of the Year: Best Prospect of the Year: Coach of the Year: First Team Second Team Third Team Honorable Mention All-Europeans Team All-Imports Team All-Defensive Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||













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