SIG Strasbourg Falls to Galatasaray in BCL with Seven Players

Galatasaray led 21-16 after the first quarter and extended their lead to 42-33 by halftime, fueled by a 10-0 run in the second. Maxence Lemoine led Strasbourg's fightback, scoring 21 points with efficient two-point shooting (4/5), a single three-pointer (1/4), and converting 10 of 12 free throws, while dishing out 5 assists in 26 minutes. Neftali Difuidi contributed 16 points, hitting all four of his three-point attempts before being ejected in the third quarter after a flagrant foul. Jaylen Hands added 13 points, though struggled from deep (1/8 three-pointers), Justin McKoy scored 11, Sam Alajiki had 10, and Abdoulaye Ndoye posted 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists in 36 minutes.

Trailing 62-56 entering the final quarter, SIG rallied to close the gap to 62-60 and then 71-70 on two free throws from Hands. However, Alen Smailagic then sealed the win for Galatasaray with a three-pointer and a put-back dunk, making it 78-70. Smailagic finished with 16 points, and KJ Simpson Jr. added 17 points and 8 rebounds for the home team. Galatasaray dominated the boards, outrebounding Strasbourg 43 to 27, including 14 offensive rebounds. Strasbourg, however, showed strong free-throw shooting, making 25 of their 29 attempts.

Coach Janis Gailitis pointed to a lack of maturity and mental errors: "We couldn't find that extra gear and intensity, and we made mental mistakes that have no place at this level when the game is on the line." Lemoine acknowledged the challenging circumstances: "We were only seven players, missing two big men. That's not an excuse, though."

Adding to Strasbourg's challenges, Pfister is expected to be out for approximately three months with a right leg injury sustained in the win against Roanne. To fill the void, the club signed Bruno Cingala-Mata, a 33-year-old, 2.04m forward with experience from Cholet, Nancy, Nanterre, Roanne, and Alliance Sport Alsace. He traveled with the team to Istanbul and was on the roster. Strasbourg is also still searching for a replacement for Jake Forrester, who left in late September. Sam Alajiki was reportedly the only recognized big man available in Istanbul.

Following their decisive win against Legia Warsaw (100-62), Strasbourg now holds a 1-1 record in Group B. Legia also secured a victory, defeating Cibona Zagreb 95-77. Cibona Zagreb, who had beaten Galatasaray in the opening round, now sits at 1-1 as well.