Khalif Battle's 32-point eruption powers Cibona past Galatasaray on BCL opening night

Battle was nearly unstoppable in Cibona's opener, going 11-of-15 from the field and 6-of-7 from beyond the arc to finish with 5 assists alongside his 32 points. Cibona as a whole caught fire from distance, connecting on 14-of-23 attempts from 3-points as a team — a blistering 60.9 percent clip — to run away from a Galatasaray side many had tabbed as the favorite in Group B.

Battle wasn't alone in torching the nets. Roko Badzim came off the bench and was just as automatic, pouring in 19 points on 5-of-6 shooting from 3-points to pair with his star teammate's outburst. Galatasaray got a strong effort of its own from Alen Smailagic, coming off the bench to flirt with a double-double at 13 points and 9 rebounds. Despite the defeat, Galatasaray remains considered the favorite in Group B.

The matchup carried history with it. Cibona and Galatasaray first clashed in the 1985-86 FIBA European Champions Cup Round of 16, where the Croatian club swept both legs on its way to winning that competition outright. Tuesday's win also marked a long-awaited return to the BCL stage: nine years and nine months had passed since Cibona last featured in the competition, a gap matched only by Varese, which returns to BCL play on Wednesday against UCAM Murcia — tying the two clubs for the longest absence of any team coming back this season.

Battle, who moved to Zagreb over the summer, made sure the comeback was memorable. "I think we needed this, not just for the rankings, but also for the confidence of our team," Battle said.

Strasbourg and Cholet deliver statement wins

Strasbourg made its own mark on the night, blowing out Legia Warszawa 100-62 for a 38-point margin. The French club also dominated the playmaking column, out-assisting Legia 24-11 while forcing 21 turnovers from the Polish side.

Ben Gregg explained the mindset behind the rout, pointing to the significance of Strasbourg's return after three years away from the competition: "We knew it was important to jump out strongly, especially as it was the first BCL game in a long time for the club. We wanted to represent and make both the club and the city proud."

Abdoulaye N'Doye turned in a perfect night. He finished with 15 points on 100 percent shooting from the field and the free-throw line, adding 10 assists and 5 steals, all in under 25 minutes of work — a BCL record. Jaylen Hands chipped in 15 points of his own as Strasbourg cruised.

Cholet Basket was just as emphatic in a 99-79 win over Hapoel Holon, played on neutral ground in Bulgaria. The French club shot 13-of-28 from 3-points to secure its first Opening Round win in four BCL seasons. Mohamed Diarra led the way with 23 points on 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc, while Hapoel Holon got a losing effort of 22 points and 13 rebounds from Adama Sanogo.

Diarra said after the win: "Right now, we've got high confidence. It's at 100%. We're gonna continue to work and keep building on this victory."

Bamberg's comeback falls just short

The night's most dramatic finish came at Peristeri, where Bamberg nearly pulled off a historic comeback before falling 93-87. The German club, returning to the BCL Regular Season after six campaigns away, fell behind by 22 points, trailing 64-42 midway through the third quarter. Bamberg then stormed all the way back to take an 82-77 lead with four minutes left in the fourth quarter, only for Peristeri to close out the win down the stretch.

Jalen Finch posted 21 points and 4 assists, while Ty Nichols added 20 points. Between the two rosters, only one player who stepped on the court — Peristeri's John Ittounas — failed to score.

Elsewhere, Bilbao Basket picked up a 92-79 win over Igokea m:tel, with all 11 players who saw the floor scoring, without Hilliard and Hlinason. Bastien Vautier led the way with 19 points and 8 rebounds, while Igokea's Lazar Stefanovic countered with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the loss. Joventut Badalone beat Bnei Herzliya 86-75, keeping both Spanish clubs unbeaten through opening night as the BCL's group stage gets underway.