Peristeri claimed the unbeaten matchup in Group D. The Greek team won at Palacio de los Deportes (72-80), handing UCAM Murcia their first European loss of the season, and sits alone atop the standings with three wins in three games. Sito Alonso's squad competed but paid dearly for a poor third quarter.
An Even First Half
The game was competitive throughout the first 20 minutes. Neither team managed to pull away on the scoreboard, and the first quarter ended with a one-point difference (15-16), as did the first half (33-34), in which Manos Chatzidakis was crucial for Peristeri.
Nichols Breaks Open the Game
The game changed after halftime. Ty Nichols scored 12 points in the first six minutes of the third quarter, and Peristeri went on a 9-21 run that gave them their largest lead (42-55) at the 26-minute mark. UCAM lost fluidity on offense and the quarter ended 17-26, leaving the Greeks with a ten-point margin (50-60).
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Comeback Falls Just Short
UCAM refused to quit. Led by Boum and Dylan Ennis, the Murcia squad chipped away at the deficit little by little and got within one point (66-67) with three minutes remaining. That's when they ran out of gas: Peristeri found points from the free-throw line, including technical fouls, and pulled away again (66-72) to close out the game.
Boum was UCAM's leading scorer with 17 points, and Ennis also surpassed 15. For Peristeri, Nichols and Jalen Finch both exceeded 20 points. With this loss, UCAM Murcia falls to 2-1, tied for second place with Varese, who won convincingly in Bamberg (61-95).