Telekom Baskets Bonn narrowly lost the postponed game on the first matchday of the Basketball Champions League against Hapoel Holon. In the game against the 2022 Israeli champions, which was played without spectators and with increased security precautions due to the escalation in the Middle East conflict, defending champion Bonn lost 74:75 (28:38).
The Baskets’ best scorer was Norwegian Harald Frey with 26 points. CJ Harris (17) scored the most points for the guests. The Baskets missed a lot offensively, especially in the first half. A missed three-point throw from Noah Kirkwood two seconds before the end sealed Bonn’s first defeat in the second game of the current Champions League season.
The duel with Holon was originally supposed to take place on October 18th, but due to the current situation, the first games of the Israeli participants were canceled. Despite the defeat, Bonn remains first in Group F for the time being, as Holon and CB Breogan from Spain played one game less.
In Group E, EWE Baskets Oldenburg lost a hard-fought game at Pinar Karsiyaka in Turkey 83:85 (39:48) and remain without a win after two games. From a 13-point deficit in the second quarter, Oldenburg fought its way back into the lead in the third, but was unable to gain a decisive lead afterwards. The Baskets’ most successful scorer was point guard DeWayne Russell with 18 points.