Itelyum Varese got off to a bitter start in the Basketball Champions League, falling to UCAM Murcia 85-58 on the road after a tough game in which the hosts were able to dictate the pace from the very beginning, gradually extending their lead as the game progressed. The red-and-whites, still without the injured McDowell-White and Della Valle and with Renfro playing despite having a fever, tried to keep pace with the Spanish team but were unable to counter their superior offensive effectiveness. For Coach Kastritis’s team, it will now be important to put this game behind them and focus on their next league match, scheduled for Saturday evening at 8:30 p.m. on their home court at the Itelyum Arena against Trieste.
The start of the game was evenly matched, with Ennis opening the scoring and Hale immediately responding with a three-pointer and two free throws to give Itelyum a 2-5 lead. The Spanish team’s response, however, was not long in coming: Raieste tied the score from beyond the arc, while Forrest sank two consecutive three-pointers to make it 11-5. Roby tried to halt the opponent’s run, but Murcia continued to push the pace with Pansa and Marcos, forcing Coach Kastritis to call a timeout at 16-7. In the closing moments, Alviti made just one free throw, sending the teams into the first break at 16-8.
Varese tried to mount a comeback early in the second quarter, relying on Duke Jr. and Hale, who brought the red-and-whites within four points (16-12). UCAM, however, quickly regained control of the game thanks to Pansa, Raieste, and especially Ennis, the driving force behind the Spanish team’s new run that forced Kastritis to call a timeout at 26-16. Roby and Renfro tried to keep Itelyum in the game, but the home team continued to find offensive solutions with great consistency, gradually increasing their lead. Alviti’s three-pointer temporarily stemmed the bleeding (30-21), before De La Torre, Radebaugh, and Nakic put together another big run. Ennis’s two final free throws set the score at 39-22 at halftime.
Itelyum came out of the locker room determined to close the gap and immediately scored four straight points thanks to Duke Jr. and Hale, but Murcia responded promptly with Nakic and Falk, maintaining firm control of the game. Renfro tries to energize the red-and-whites, but Pansa and, above all, Radebaugh push the Spanish team to a 50-30 lead, making Varese’s comeback increasingly difficult. UCAM continued to score through Cate, while Hale tried to rally his team with a three-pointer and a two-point basket, though he was unable to contain the home team’s offensive effectiveness. Ennis hit a three-pointer to make it 60-36, forcing Kastritis to call another timeout, but even subsequent efforts by Hale, Librizzi, and Kamagate failed to reverse the momentum. In the closing minutes, Marcos and Steinbergs hit more three-pointers, sending the teams into the final break with the score at 66-42.
The final ten minutes began with free throws by Nikolic, which Cate answered, while Duke Jr. and Roby tried to cut into Itelyum’s deficit. Murcia, however, shows no signs of slowing down and hits two consecutive three-pointers by Ennis and Raieste to make it 74-48, forcing Kastritis to call another timeout. De La Torre completes a three-point play before Roby answers from beyond the arc and Alviti adds two points from the free-throw line. The Red-and-Whites try to stay in the game with a three-pointer by Librizzi, but the Spaniards continue to grind out plays and points, extending their lead further thanks to Radebaugh and Pansa. In the closing moments, Ladurner scored the final basket of the night, setting the final score at 85-58 and sealing Varese’s defeat in their BCL season opener.