FIBA Europe Cup Semifinals: Surne Bilbao Takes Advantage, UCAM Murcia Faces Comeback Challenge

The FIBA Europe Cup semifinals have begun with Spanish teams in contrasting situations. Surne Bilbao Basket secured a solid away victory against Falco Szombathely, while UCAM Murcia fell in Greece to PAOK and must mount a comeback in the second leg.

The FIBA Europe Cup semifinals are decided over two legs, with the aggregate score determining which team advances to the final if both teams win one game each.

UCAM Murcia suffered a setback in their trip to Greece, losing 79-73 to PAOK in the first leg of the series. The team coached by Sito Alonso played well in the first half, particularly thanks to the interior dominance of Devontae Cacok, who was solid under the basket. The center finished the game with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and a rating of 22, becoming the standout player for the Murcia squad.

However, after halftime PAOK raised their intensity and took control of the game. Kelan Martin, with 16 points, kept UCAM Murcia competitive and scored five crucial points in the final minutes that prevented the deficit from growing larger. The night was more difficult for David DeJulius, who had an off performance shooting 5 of 22 from the field and 0 of 10 from three-point range, which hampered the Spanish team's offensive output in this FIBA Europe Cup semifinal.

The situation was different for Surne Bilbao Basket, who took a major step toward the final with a convincing 81-98 victory over Falco Szombathely in Hungary. The team coached by Jaume Ponsarnau controlled the game from the opening minutes thanks to a complete performance by Melwin Pantzar, who recorded 14 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds.

The three-point shooting of Normantas and Darrun Hilliard proved crucial in helping the Bilbao team build a lead of up to 22 points in the third quarter, a margin that the hosts partially cut into later. Still, Surne Bilbao managed the final minutes well and will head into the second leg with a very favorable advantage in this FIBA Europe Cup semifinal.

With these results, UCAM Murcia faces the second game needing to overcome a six-point deficit to keep their final hopes alive, while Surne Bilbao will look to confirm their advantage and secure another appearance in the fight for the European title.